Widows' Movement

Northern Nigeria and Northern Cameroon have been terrorized by violent groups over the last ten years. The Islamist faction Boko Haram has systematically targeted Christians, as well as the majority of Muslims who do not support the terror. Violent land conflicts between herdsmen tribes and settled farmers further contribute to undermine the fragile social fabric. Left behind are thousands of widows and their children living in extreme poverty.

 

In 2017 Nigerian widows formed a movement that is growing steadily, counting 4,250 members in 2025. In 2023 the same movement was launched in Cameroon, with currently 280 members.

Although their husbands have been killed and many of them have had to flee, they are not giving up hope for themselves and their children. The women meet every week in extended microfinance groups to help each other get back on their feet economically. A strong sense of belonging is created amongst the fated women as well as a safe space in which their traumas can begin to heal. Together, the women rise up again and gain the courage to shape their own futures.

How Rings of Hope supports the Widows' Movement:

We accompany people on a material, psychosocial and spiritual level.

Strengthening Physical Resources

  • Emergency Aid: "We don't know what we can feed our children tonight. And if we can't pay school fees, our children may run away from home and join a gang just to get by." – these are big concerns for the single-parent widows, which is why each woman is given a little cash at the start to buy essentials and to invest in her small business.
  • Loans: " I'm a big farmer now!" Grace laughingly tells of her successful business year: Thanks to a small in-kind loan, she was able to sell three times the amount of peanuts. As most of the women are farmers, they can receive a fertilizer loan, instead of cash, which they repay at the end of the season.
  • Small businesses: Farmers who are no longer able to cultivate their fields due to the threat of violence are given the opportunity to train in the production of soap, animal rearing or other income-generating activities.

Social Resources

  • "In the past, I could barely read and write, let alone speak in front of people." Hanna, one of the main leaders, used to be illiterate, just like 70% of the women in the widows' movement. Most of them live in remote villages with no access to education. Now Hanna is part of the leadership team that is building an adult education program in rural areas. 

Strengthen Psychosocial and Spiritual Resources

  • "I no longer feel alone" – this is one of the most frequently mentioned positive changes that the widows cite. Thanks to simple tools and exercises practiced during the weekly group meetings, women gain mental and emotional strength. We use approaches that are in harmony with the local culture and that build on existing strengths.

We create space and enable experiences so that individuals can become more conscious of their intrinsic value.

Experiencing Hope

  • When the leaders of the movement reach out to a new village, they share with the local widows about the holistic vision of the movement. This first meeting is all about creating an experience to remind the women of their dignity, allowing them to experience hope through all of their senses.

Safe Space

  • Each widow is given the opportunity to tell her story in a protected setting. The attack by the terrorists, the loss of husband and sons, the escape, and the fight for survival. During this vulnerable and therapeutic moment, a leader of the widows' movement listens with empathy and washes her feet: Symbolically, the trauma that has been lived through is washed away and simultaneously the physical contact plays a supporting role. At the end, each woman receives a ring as a gift. "You are not forgotten, you belong and are infinitely precious." The ring is the lasting reminder in everyday life: every time her gaze falls on this ring, the woman is reminded of her intrinsic dignity and worth.

We foster teams that develop their collective potential with the help of self-organized processes.

Self-managed Organization

  • We coach the movements in building a governance structure that looks more like a living organism than an organizational chart. Instead of fixed-job descriptions, leaders take on responsibilities that are tailored to their current competencies. Over time, they may take on additional roles according to their interest, potential, and present needs. In this way, the movement's governance structure remains flexible, adapting to the continuous growth.

Authentic Leadership

  • We encourage the leaders to consider sharing personal challenges as an important part of their team meetings. Individual challenges are not a distraction, but the power and wisdom of tomorrow. The keys to this are appreciation and authenticity, as well as processes to make collective intelligence fruitful.

We build flexible movements that continuously evolve and multiply.

Victims Become Leaders

  • "I am one of you" - that's how Hanna, one of our Nigerian leaders, introduces herself to the widows each time she visits a new village. Soon, new leaders will rise from among these women, ready to travel to remote regions in order to reach even more widows. When afflicted people advocate for other affected people, they themselves are strengthened as well.

Evolving Vision

  • "What does hope look like next?" - the objectives of each movement are constantly evolving. Therefore, the focus is not on a set vision, but on people who continue to develop their vision.

Multiplication

  • Every movement is also about expanding the vision for the benefit of a larger circle. The widows' movement focuses on women who have lost their husbands due to political or religious violence. In regions where such widows have already been reached, other economically vulnerable widows are also invited to become part of the movement.

Digital Technology

  • To optimally support the movements, Rings of Hope relies on cloud-based technology for monitoring and project management. This approach allows flexible and effective collaboration between the teams in Nigeria and Switzerland.

We nurture the ability of individuals and movements to act and create with the ultimate aim of their independence.

Coaching

  • "What do you think about this?" – This is a question we frequently ask the leaders of the widows' movement, as we see ourselves mainly in the role of coaches. They have the cultural understanding and experiential knowledge to assess what is required in any given situation. Our contribution is to provide or mediate the different types of resources that are lacking.

Independence

  • We are working to develop local leadership teams in such a way that they can ultimately become independent of Rings of Hope in terms of funding and governance.

Interested in sowing seeds of hope, or just curious to learn more? Get in touch with us!