All the society of Ndhiwa shows special concern for their vulnerable and disadvantaged members. Among the most vulnerable groups are widows and orphans 

These two groups are vulnerable because traditionally they are regarded as dependants. It is true that most of women in Ndhiwa community whether married or not, depend on male relatives as their fathers, brothers or husbands. Children are also dependant on their parents. It is usually a tradition in African society that women have no rights to inherit property, particularly family land. They only have access to it. They could also have a say in how to dispose of produce from the land but they cannot sell it. These rights belong to the male members of the family particularly fathers and older sons. No wonder when husbands and fathers die, women and children may fall into desperation unless measures are taken to assist them. 

In Ndhiwa and its surroundings assistance is done through wife inheritance which is recommended for every widower in the community. This is actually done through remarrying of such widows; a woman could be married to a brother or male relative of her dead husband. This way she retains her cultivation right to the land, ensure the security of her children and retain her identity. The children also retain their identity and inheritance right. Traditionally wife inheritance is regarded as beneficial to the widow & children because it removes loneliness and makes the children t forget about their late father.  

These days the situation has changed. While some communities and families in Ndhiwa retain the traditional practices, others have no regard for them. This is as a result of breakup of the extended family. Families have become nuclear or where male heads of families die, the woman and children left on their own Women who cannot provide for their families suffer a lot and some women resort to prostitution in order to care for their families, these actually expose them to danger of contracting HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Some children also run from the community to urban areas and become street children.  

To reduce this problems facing Ndhiwa as a community, the Church& other organisations must step in to care for widows and protect their rights. Due to HIV/ AIDS, there are now more widows and orphans than there were before. It is also good that most of the orphans who are not able to afford school fee are now being taken care of by other organizations such as Ndhiwa Community Empowerment and Development Project and other volunteer bodies and Churches. 

In conclusion, wife inheritance should not be practiced because it is a traditional act and it denies most widows their rights and could expose them on the danger of acquiring AIDS as it has been experienced in most families in our community. It also denies them the opportunities since most of the inheritors always misuse the properties therefore denying the children opportunity to go to school.

Please let us stop this act and because we are in the current world where everybody has her / his rights irrespective of her or his status in the community.

Let’s practice gender equality