After a Long Wait, We Are Building a New Clinic in an Underserved Area

Four years ago, we began a planning process to build new clinics in the northwest of Nigeria. This area has some of the worst health-care indices in the entire country. We began by improving the human infrastructure through training local health-care workers and potential future employees.

We also started building support and acceptance among the indigenous population. As with all of our clinics, we are working in partnership with the local Anglican Diocese. However, this area has a 90% Muslim majority, and there is a high degree of mistrust and suspicion toward Christian missions of any kind. Because of this, we have had to work patiently and respectfully with local government officials to build trust.

After three years, we finally received the permits required to move forward with construction. We began by drilling a well, both for our construction needs and as a resource for the surrounding community.

Here are a few words from one of our board members regarding this new development:

“When you gave a health clinic to the multidimensionally poor people in rural Nigeria, did you know that you were also giving clean, potable water to communities? This year, we witnessed children as young as four and five years old running around a clinic construction site with joy and laughter as they watched clean water gush from the ground. It was probably the first time they had seen jets of clean water in their lives.
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Our hearts rejoiced with them as we watched, sometimes with tearful eyes. First because of their joy, and then because we knew many of them would escape preventable death from diarrheal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation in their community.
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How amazing to know that a new rural clinic is already blessing the community with joy and health before the building is even completed. No longer will women gather with animals around shallow and polluted water sources to collect water for their families. No more illness from contaminated water for young and old alike. Health and life have begun.”

This is the first of three new buildings we are constructing in this rural area. There are already existing clinics here, but all are in serious need of renovations or entirely new buildings. (Note: We are not publishing the names of these locations for security reasons.)

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