BY IKENNA OBIOHA
CEO of Zaron Cosmetics, Oke Maduewesi opened her door this Valentine’s day to deprived widows to help rekindle the spirit of love in them. It is a long-held annual tradition by the beauty outfit which focuses on empowering widows through creating incentives that facilitate small scale ventures.
In a chat with eelive, Maduewesi talks on the impact of the outreach to widows so far, and what this kind gesture means to her personally. She also highlighted certain trends in the beauty industry.
What changes have you seen in the lives of women you have come across during the course of this programme?
Fantastic! You know, you never get a 100 percent, but we’ve seen widows that we’ve given seed capital to start petty trades that have started their own businesses; that have hired people – it’s a multiplier effect. What we are doing is not just impacting their lives but also impacting the lives of others. We are grateful for that. We haven’t gotten a 100 percent but we really have gotten great feedback, and we are happy with that.
Personally, what does this mean to you?
Oh my goodness… I’m a widow. It’s funny I’m smiling and saying it, I’m a widow, so I know the challenges that widows go through, and I know that God has really, really been very faithful to me. I can’t completely solve their problems but I’m trying to just send love, and help them because I know it is tough being a single mom, it is tough having to lose that person you love. So, we are just trying to spread love and make sure that we minimise their pain; we can’t completely take it out, but we reduce their pain.
Why did you pick Valentine’s Day over mothers’ day to celebrate widows?
Because they are widows, and widows don’t have husbands, widows don’t have romance; they don’t have anybody wishing them happy Valentines. You know that feeling that couples get, they don’t have that. Mothers’ day is good, but I think for widows, Valentine’s Day is the perfect day… we have roses for them too, we try to make it typical love day for them.
This incentive you are giving to widows, how do you feel it reflects on the brand?
The Zaron brand is an institution. It is not just about makeup, it’s not just about beauty; it is way more than that. So, we are socially responsible. This is one of our CSR activities, we are giving back and it is at the core of what we do. I’m sure that anybody that is out there and has a heart will appreciate what the brand is doing. It is just about giving back and this is not the only thing we do. We sought after children too. We cater to over a thousand children and displaced children; we give them school supplies and show them love. We also cater for young ladies. We are always giving freebies away. Everybody is catered for; this is just one of those days we set out for widows.
The world is going natural. You see people like Alicia Keys coming on the Grammy stage with no makeup. Coming from the cosmetic industry, what’s your perception on this?
Hmm… I don’t know about that. I don’t think the world is going natural. I think we are more superficial now. And I saw Alicia Keys at the Grammys, she did look natural but I bet you she had some makeup on. I saw through that. She had lip gloss; she had something, that’s cosmetics you know? I’m sure she had translucent powder or something, but she did have something [on]. Some people like it the natural way, some people don’t. So we love everyone, just as long as you want to enhance your beauty, we welcome you and love you but I don’t think we are going natural.
Inner or outer beauty, what really matters?
You know what cosmetics does? It brings out the inner beauty too because when you look good, you are happy. I think the outward look affects the inward look, so it goes hand in hand really.
