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Who We Serve
The People |
Nigeria is a nation of many languages, tribal groups and religions, each of which generates competing loyalties and animosities.
There are at least 250 different documented tribal/ethnic/linguistic groups, each with its own distinct culture and language. There are four major languages: English (the official language) and the Big Three Nigerian Languages ( Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa). Almost every secondary school educated Nigerian is fluent in at least three languages: his or her own tribal languages, one of the Big Three, and English. About 50 % of Nigerians are Muslim; about 40% are Christian; and about 10% are African Traditional Religions ( what Western anthropologists call “animist”). The northern third of the country is predominantly Muslim. The southern third is predominantly Christian. The Middle Belt is about 50% Muslim and 50% Christian. The multiple identities, loyalties and animosities of the people of Nigeria, when combined with economic competition and political corruption, often erupt in violent tensions and riots. All of the locations in which we operate our clinics have been subject to these violent outbreaks. One of the secondary goals of our medical clinics is to be a force for reconciliation and peace between different religious and ethnic factions. |
The People We Help - Statistics from 2020 |
In 2020, our six clinics helped 11,811 people. Because of COVID 19 restrictions and local security concerns, we were not able to conduct our annual free medical outreach missions as we have done since 2009. In recent years, we have helped 7,000 to 9,000 people annually through these missions.
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