The spouse of the Deputy President, Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, will be speaking at the African Widows Summit in Zanzibar, Tanzania, on June 20, 2024.
The Summit themed “Women in Widowhood: Reforming the African Space” will be attended by President of Zanzibar Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, First Lady Zanzibar, Mariam Mwinyi, Zimbabwe First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Former Tanzania First Lady Mama Anne Mkapa, Former First Lady Sierra Leone Isatu Jabbie Kabba, Ambassadors, Ministers, President Union of African Widows Hope Nwakwesi, the UN Women representatives, African Union representatives, other Non-Governmental Orgnaisations (NGOs), and widows from across the nations of Africa among others.
The Summit seeks to address different issues affecting widows and encourage structural adjustments in the way governments work, and direct widows from charity programs to structural adjustments in governments of Africa to better the lives of widows.
Pastor Dorcas has advocated for widows since her days at the University, and continued with this passion in the office of the Spouse of the Deputy President (OSDP) under the Widows and Orphans Pillar.
Under the OSDP, she has widows programs in Nairobi, Kajiado, Migori, Laikipia, Kakamega, Bungoma, TransNzoia, Nandi, Bomet, Kilifi and Nakuru Counties.
The projects include economic empowerment through fish farming, tree nursery establishment, goat keeping, beekeeping, beadwork, agribusiness, dress making, and knitting, soap and detergent making, and candle manufacturing, and also psychosocial spiritual support to the thousands of widows.
The other pillars in her office are Boy Child, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) on the foundation of Chaplaincy, Outreach and Family Values.
