…Provides Boreholes, Food Palliative

 

…As Communities Describe Gesture Second To None

 

By Yunusa Isa, Gombe

The Hope Springs International (HSI) in collaboration with Servants of Hope Initiative (SoH), have commenced a weeklong medical outreach to four hard to reach local communities of Balanga and Ɓilliri local government areas.

 

The outreach which comprises of medical and dental surgeries, targeted thousands of poor and vulnerable citizens in Putoki, Jessu, Shela and Dongol communities in the two LGAs.

Speaking during the flag-off exercise in Putoki of Balanga Local Government, the President of Hope Springs International Mr Thomas Lee Hodges, said the team was inspired to support the poor Africans in the areas of basic life amenities like water, health and education.

 

He said apart from the medical and dental supports, the organization is equally drilling electric/solar powered boreholes to rural communities in need.

“Apart from this medical and dental intervention, we are equally providing three wells for different communities here who have issues with portable water and hygiene”, Lee has stressed.

 

He said the outreach was particularly meant for villages without access to medical or dental care.

The Hope Springs International Director of Operations in Africa Barrister Rambi Ibrahim Ayala, said the intervention has nothing to do with politics.

 

“This program is tailored considering the current economic hardships, and due to the facts that government alone cannot do everything at a time for all the citizens. So our group under our President Mr Lee Hodges, we have been known to provide succour to several communities and individuals especially in the areas of provision of clean water, provision of medicare and educational intervention amongst others”.

Rambi said the intervention has equally provided food palliative to over 300 households, as well as boreholes in each of the four benefitting communities.

 

“We also drilled boreholes to villages without portable drinking water as part of the package to this medical outreach”, the director added.

He maintained that their aim is to improve the health and living conditions of the benefitting communities through access to healthcare, portal water and education.

 

The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Centre for Education of Child Offer Foundation (CNECOF) Mr El-polycarp Yusuf Degri, commended HSI and SoH for their love and concern to less privileged, describing the gesture as second to none they have ever witnessed.

“This is a very exciting moment for me and my community Putoki, Degri Ward. As you can see all our children, parents and other community members are so happy and excited about this development because this is a wonderful opportunity that have never been executed in this community”.

 

He said the intervention was not the first kind of support they enjoyed from Hope Springs International, as a water project was already executed and fully being utilized.

The executive director encouraged like-minded non governmental organizations and individuals to join hands in bringing developments to communities in need, especially considering the harsh economic realities in the country.

 

Some beneficiaries who spoke to Jewel Times Jummai Jibir, James Kolge, Dorange Philip, Eunice Nagodi and Machimita Ishaya appreciated Hope Springs International and Servants of Hope Initiative for the gesture, praying for God Almighty to reward them abundantly.

“They took us by surprise. We never expect any intervention of such nature, right from the United States down here. We spent no dime, but received free diagnosis, treatment, drugs and even grains. We are so happy and appreciative to this team”.

 

While appealing on HSI and SoH to sustain the tempo, the beneficiaries called on other groups and well meaning individuals in Nigeria to borrow leaf from Hope Springs, to step down the intervention to more people in need.

CNACOF primary and secondary school students who actively benefit from the medical and dental exercise, appreciated Hope Springs International through a gift of a he goat, in recognition of the gesture.

 

Before the commencement of the medical exercise proper, beneficiaries were counselled on better ways of teeth and mouth care.

The team comprises of over 30 Nigerian and foreign health professionals, including trained doctors, dentists, pharmacists and ophthalmologists.

 

Special prayers during church service as well as meet and great at Makhozi Hall formed part of the weeklong medicare exercise.