Success Story Details

Hope at the Table: A Widow’s Story in Mali

In the rural village of Ségou, life became unbearably difficult for Awa, a widow and mother of four. After her husband passed away, she was left with no steady income and very little land to farm. Some days, she went without food so her children could eat. When our charity began its Widows’ Feeding Initiative in her community, Awa was among the first to receive food support. Each month, she and dozens of other widows were given staples like rice, millet, and cooking oil. For the first time since her husband’s passing, Awa no longer had to choose which child would eat and which would go to bed hungry. But it wasn’t just about food. By sharing meals together, the widows formed a network of friendship and solidarity. They cooked, prayed, and supported one another, lifting the weight of loneliness that many carried silently. Today, Awa says she feels dignity restored. With her basic needs met, she has even started a small garden at home, inspired by the encouragement of other women in the program. She put it simply: "When you feed a widow, you feed hope. You gave me back my strength and my children’s smiles."