News
On Saturday 23 June 2012 the Loomba Foundation will stage a major event in London to mark International Widows Day and to raise awareness to the plight of widows worldwide.
A group of twenty prominent women including Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, wife of the Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon. Nick Clegg MP and Cherie Blair, Preseident of the Loomba Foundation and wife of the former Prime Minister Rt Hon. Tony Blair will walk with goats across London Bridge. The goat is a symbol of wealth and prosperity and often a life-line for many widows in South Asia and across Africa.
The walk will be followed by a reception which will take place at 10 Downing Street and will be hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Nick Clegg MP.
The day of recognition will end with a Banquet at the Banqueting House, Whitehall. The Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg MP will attend a dinner as Chief Guest from the UK and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Shrimati Sheila Dikshit will attend as our Chief Guest from India as well as widows, diplomats, UN officials, NGOs and other dignitaries.
To commemorate International Widows Day 2012, The Loomba Foundation, in collaboration with Lions Clubs International, gave away sewing machines with stands to 73 poor widows to empower them with new livelihood. The Loomba Foundation has also organized training of these widows in garment stitching. Barry J Palmer, Second Vice President of The International Association of Lions Clubs, and Lord Raj Loomba CBE, Founder and Chairman Trustee of The Loomba Foundation were in India to present the sewing machines to the widows.
Lord Loomba, whose relentless efforts were instrumental in getting official recognition from United Nations General Assembly for 23rd June as International Widows Day, says, “While it is important to create awareness, it is also imperative to take concrete action to help women uphold their self-esteem by making a real difference to their lives at the grass root levels.
This Widows Day, we hope that our support will help empower these poor widows to courageously face the double burden of supporting themselves as well as their children.” The Loomba Foundation has also funded education of over 6500 children of poor widows to support 27000 family members in 29 states of India since 1999, and is providing education to another 3000 children of widows in distress this year.
Welcoming Barry J Palmer, Second Vice President of The International Association of Lions Clubs at the event, Lord Loomba said, “Barry Palmer’s contributions to social causes are known worldwide and he has been recognized with several awards including the Australian Medal issued by the Australian Government, the Australian Childhood Cancer Research Award, the Spastic Centre of NSW Award and the Lions Club’s highest honor, Ambassador of Good Will Award. It is an honor that he could join us today for this Women’s Day event in India.”
Also present at the event were Naresh Aggarwal, Past International Director, Lions Clubs International; Ramesh C Nangia, District Governor, Lions Club and other dignitaries.
At another event organized today by the Shaheed Rajpal DAV School, Dayanand Vihar, The Loomba Foundation also distributed scholarship cheques to the children of poor widows studying at the school. Besides Lord Raj Loomba CBE, Founder and Chairman Trustee of The Loomba Foundation as the Chief Guest, also present were Sh. Pratap Singh, Country Head, The Loomba Foundation, and senior management of DAV School including Dr. N R Uberoi, Vice Chairman, Mr. K L Khurana, Manager and school principal Mrs. Renu Laroiya.
The UN Economic and Social Council Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations have recommended Special Consultative Status to The Loomba Foundation, a charity which focuses on widows and their children.
The Citation Reads
“The Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba Memorial Foundation — a United Kingdom-based group that aims to promote the fundamental freedoms and human rights of widows and their children around the world by raising awareness of the gross injustices women face when losing a husband and removing the stigma associated with being a widow.”
Explanatory Note
Special Consultative Status recommended by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is based on criteria including the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime. Organizations with special status can attend the Council’s meetings and circulate statements.
Lord Loomba CBE, Founder and Chairman Trustee of The Loomba Foundation said – “We are honoured to receive this recommendation from the United Nations. It reflects the important work the Foundation does to raise awareness of the plight of widows and children around the world”.
Lord Loomba added, “According to a recent research study there are over 245 million widows and 500 million children around the world. Over 100 million widows live in poverty struggling to survive. This issue received no or little prominence until the Loomba Foundation publicised its research and designated 23rd June as International Widows Day, which was recognised by the United Nations at the 65th UN General Assembly in 2010”
