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World Mission Foundation Inc. Fact Finding Trip to Nigeria On HIV/AIDS,
March 2004 |
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The
World Mission Foundation Inc. Organization recently visited Nigeria on a
fact finding trip in relation to HIV/AIDS. The chairman of the
organization, Mr. Anthony Chima in company with two other board members (Dr. Wendi Wardlaw and Dr. Lloyd Bailey)
report that the trip was an eye-opener. Below is the complete
photo coverage of the event.
THE
NEED: There is a need for essential drugs and equipments, but
there is also a great need for proper storage facilities,
infrastructures, and utilities that are very essential towards a
successful War against HIV/AIDS
Read
Related Poem by our Publisher and Editor, Oliver Mbamara
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EDUCATION:
Anthony
Chima, BSc, MA and CASAC, Founder/CEO of World Mission Inc, (right), in
a chat with some African Students. Read
his Full Report
It is
evident that the HIV problem is under reported and inadequate. This is due to the fact that few willing-to-work agencies lack financial support, technical support, mobility, office equipment, training tools and outreach equipments.
These organizations and individuals need all the support they can get in any
way - (money, and others), including volunteers to go to the at risk areas
in Nigeria/Africa ( nurses, doctors, clinicians, therapists, other health care providers, educators and faith-based organizations).
Please feel free to contact the President of World Mission Foundation
Inc. at 917-855-3507 or e-mail: chimaco601@yahoo.com
Read
His Report On The Trip
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THE
COMPLETE PHOTO COVERAGE
Pictures
by: Dr. Anthony Chima, Dr. Wendy Wardlaw, & Dr. Anthony Bailey |
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Young
Africans are willing to learn and to survive. They need a pat on the
back.
Dr.
Lloyd Bailey and a kid. Embracing the young and growing African and
working to make them happy can be rewarding
A
typical Hospital ward: These Doctors and nurses are doing the
best they can.
A
school child reads a poster on the wall
Teaching
on the floor
ORGANIZING
THE KIDS: It takes a lot of love, patience, and understanding to
organize kids. This is not an easy task. These teachers and Nurses have
it but they need encouragement with proper equipments, books,
remuneration, etc.
Mother
carrying her child. She wants the best for her child.
CONTACT
US NOW to take advantage of our free coverage while it lasts.
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Even
at kindergarten, these kids have learned such educational disciplines as
wearing their school uniforms, being in line, listening to a teacher,
etc. They deserve encouragement
CATTLE
TRADERS: They can use some more education on the intricacies of
HIV/AIDS
Dr.
Wendy Wardlaw (middle) with some African Caring Mothers and teachers
EDUCATIONAL
PLAYTIME: An essential sociological factor in the education and
well-being of the child. Many African children lack that benefit due to
several debilitating factors.
Nurses
Weighing A Baby: Better equipments are needed
ABOVE:
When organized, kids are a beauty to watch. They need better schools, furniture,
equipments, etc. See BELOW
LOOKING
UP TO US: They need better schools, furniture, equipments, etc.
A
Cattle Market
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MARCH, 2004 FACT
FINDING TRIP ON HIV/AIDS TO IMO STATE, NIGERIA
My trip with other two board members (Dr. Wendi Wardlaw and Dr. Lloyd Bailey) opened my eye beyond imagination on the intensity of HIV/AIDS in Imo State, Nigeria. We were taken to some increasingly at risk areas with alarming number of teenagers, college students and adult females alike. HIV infection is far ahead of the people of Imo State, which calls for immediate action. The irony of it all is that there are just very handful programs providing direct services to the infected, affected, at risk areas and communities as a whole.
We had the opportunity of meeting and talking with some humble and dedicated NGO leaders, service providers and people living with HIV/AIDS at Owerri, Okigwe and Enugu who shared their enormous barriers in providing services to optimal. In their presentations they pleaded for financial and technical support to improve and enhance their education, prevention and awareness jobs. They also pleaded for other operational necessities like condoms, handouts, literatures, nutritional supplements, computers, phone lines and mobility. When we visited the orphanage and less-privileged program, the children cried out for school stationeries, school chairs, electricity in their building, school uniform, balls, toys and school bus.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go to some of the places we were invited due to limited time – places like new Owerri General Hospital where about hundred infected patients, families and nurses waited, at Mberi where about five hundred waited and at Isiochi where about two hundred people lined waiting for us. That is how much World Mission Foundation is needed in Imo State.
Shockingly enough, when we were taken to Okigwe cattle market by the NGO leaders at Okigwe and Enugu, we saw more than two thousand young men and women congregated in the market area. We were saddened and appalled to see hundreds of young girls from ages twelve to twenty years as prostitutes; then another hundreds of older ladies plus scores of college/university female students flood the market area during evening/night hours to exchange sex for money. The ladies flood the market area for sex because they know well that the cattle dealers always carry lots of money with them.
Another bitter aspect of this experience is that most of the ladies left their parent homes to live within the market area - that is about three ladies live in a very small room of mood house, sometimes flooded. We saw many of the teenagers nursing their own babies and at the same time exchanging sex for their daily sustenance. Medical services is nowhere in their discussions. And within the area we were shown a dirty stagnant water where one of the prostitutes died while pregnant with AIDS about two weeks before we got there. Not only that, both the cattle dealers and uncertified sex workers bath and drink from the same water. According to sources, about 40% of both males and females are living with the HIV/AIDS. No one will ever doubt this percentage seeing the condition of the environment and the behaviors that have influenced the area. That notwithstanding, we were told that some of the cattle dealers are gays while many others are bi-sexual. “IT’S GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY”, our sources stated.
Realistically speaking, more than 90% of these uninformed prostitutes at Okigwe and beyond would have not taken this career choice, should they have gotten better economic/educational opportunities. Secondly, if HIV/AIDS education and prevention were made available to the people, at least 30% of the 40% at Okigwe cattle market living with the virus wouldn’t have HIV today.
Based on our physical experience, if immediate action is not taken NOW, every family in Imo State will be deadly affected in the next three years. At present everyone is potentially at risk of contracting the virus through sex, barber shops, salon shops, using one injection needle on more than one person in clinic and hospitals, mouth to mouth cpr, etc.
I saw in the faces of the sex workers high degree disparity, hopelessness, fear of death, malnutrition, hunger, abandonment, rejection and disengaged as social outcasts due to HIV and prostitution life style. And I saw and heard people crying for HELP.
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