EDUCATE THE WORLD'S POOREST TO ERADICATE POVERTY
(23 June 2005)

The first International Widows Day, being celebrated in London today (23 June 2005), marks an important milestone in the campaign to “Make Poverty History” by focusing on the growing problem of widows in Asia and Africa. The International Widows Day has been established by the Loomba Trust, which says that tangible outcomes, such as education, provide the most reliable way forward to ensure the world’s most vulnerable people are not consigned to a life of poverty and destitution. A group of London schoolchildren released 1,000 balloons to underscore the message that education is the best tool for improving the lives of millions of widows and their children.

Despite legislation in some countries, widows’ rights to income and property are frequently overridden by local custom and tradition. Women and children often become destitute, meaning that the children become the breadwinners, often working on the streets or in the factories, where abuse of child labour is commonplace.

The Loomba Trust is promoting a better future for widows and their children. The Trust is already educating 2,200 children in 15 states in India and its programme has doubled in the last year alone. There are an estimated 33 million widows in India (around 11 percent of the female population), and in Africa it is estimated that 68 percent of the adult female population are widows.

Cherie Booth, QC, President of the Loomba Trust, commented: “Never before have there been so many widows and wives of the missing in developing countries. The low status of widowhood has the severest impact on society. Children are taken out of education and become paupers. They are vulnerable to prostitution, exploitation, trafficking and crime. I appeal to everyone who cares about poverty and injustice to engage with this initiative and to work with us to make a difference in the years to come.”

The dramatic rise in the numbers of widows is often caused by unsuitable working conditions, poor nourishment medical care and hygiene, and it is exacerbated by armed conflict, ethnic cleansing, HIV and AIDS. In many countries across Africa, Asia and elsewhere, widows can lose their human rights, land and property, and can be exposed to violence and abuse. When the husband dies the widow often loses her position in society as well as her legal status and financial support.

Raj Loomba, Founder Chairman of the Loomba Trust said: “We believe that education is the key to making poverty history throughout the world. We are calling on the United Nations to give its official backing by recognising International Widows Day to help alleviate the poverty of millions of widows and their children. We have to tackle the legal and social injustices that exist in many countries. Education is a human right – today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders.”

ABOUT THE LOOMBA TRUST

The Trust was established in the UK on 26 June 1997. It was created by Raj and Veena Loomba and has a sister charity registered in India. The first programme to educate 100 children in India was established in the State of Delhi in 1999 and this year the Trust celebrates completing six years of educating children in India

The inspiration behind the Trust came from Raj Loomba’s late mother, Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba, who became a widow at the age of 37 and succeeded in educating her seven children single-handed. The Trust aims to educate the children of poor widows throughout India, irrespective of religion, caste and gender, and raise the issues surrounding widowhood globally.

Click on www.theloombatrust.org for further information.

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