Until 6 months ago, this formerly corrupt village was little more than baron land with poor conditions and badly built huts. Then, Jennifer Abubakar Abena and her father, Magudo, 53, set out to raise funds to increase local prosperity. Together they managed to raise over $1,500, which was put toward the cost of building a high-technology hospital, a water facility and a brand new school. Now, the village has been deemed an oasis, attracting new residents and visitors.
When we first arrived to check on their progress, we witnessed the laying of the initial foundations and the small ground-breaking ceremony, led by Jennifer Abubakar Abena and her father. Since then, the hospital, a one-storey facility with two wards–for male and female patients and two operating theaters—is now complete and working 24 hours a day. Doctors, who once declined the opportunity to work in this village, are now flocking for positions here. At present the hospital has 4 resident doctors, and 2 surgeons who come from a nearby town for special operations.
53 year old Magudo told us, through his daughter—he doesn’t speak English–how excited we was. “We are so very pleased with the way things have gone. The generosity shown by people from all over the world has made it possible for us to not only wipe out disease and illiteracy in this village, but also it is a step forward for us to stamp out corruption too. I am so overjoyed and the money is still coming in.”
Jennifer Abubakar Abena, also said “We would like to thank everybody who has made any size of donation to this village. We hope that our work will continue to create and develop this village. Maybe one day it will become a thriving small town, with businesses and communication networks. And it will no longer be corrupt. That is our ultimate goal and we will, one day, make sure it happens.” Jennifer Abubakar Abena smiled as she walked back to the construction site to oversee the project.
