Beyond Church Walls International (BCWI), a faith-based non-governmental organisation, has empowered vulnerable single mothers, widows and out-of-school children in a joint Single Mothers and Widows Programme (SMWP) and Out-of-School Children Project (OOSCP) intervention in the Gbagalape-Nyanya area of Abuja.
Representing the Founder and Executive Director of BCWI, Dr Offiong Archibong, Hamilton Lamech said the initiative was designed to move the Church beyond rhetoric and into practical societal transformation.
“This isn’t just charity; it’s strategy. It’s not pity; it’s power. The Church must move from talk to transformation,” he said.
At the empowerment programme, ten single mothers and widows received grants totalling ₦500,000 to support micro business start-ups, while twelve out-of-school children were formally enrolled into public schools and presented with “Admission Letters of Hope, a symbolic letter marking their educational support.
Beneficiaries expressed gratitude, with one mother, Miss Happiness Ugochukwu, describing the programme as “God showing up through people”, noting that it had restored her hope for her children’s future.
In an interview with Voice of Nigeria, Dr. Archibong explained the wider vision behind the outreach:
“The SMWP and OOSCP outreach is BCWI’s strategic response to the socio-economic vulnerabilities of widows, single mothers, and out-of-school children. It is not an event—it is an intentional act of nation-building. At BCWI, we believe the Church must go beyond rhetoric and become a visible force for societal change. By giving women a chance to start small businesses and putting children back in school, we are restoring dignity, breaking cycles of poverty, and building stronger communities. This is what it means to be the light of the world.”
She further noted that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s development priorities and the global Sustainable Development Goals.
“This programme directly contributes to SDG 1 on No Poverty, SDG 4 on Quality Education, and SDG 5 on Gender Equality. When women thrive and children learn, nations are transformed. BCWI is committed to creating pathways for the Church to be an engine of that transformation.”
BCWI also announced that its next interventions will include a medical outreach in Mararaba and a clean water project in Kuje to extend healthcare and safe water access to underserved communities.