By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
A United States based registered nurse of Akwa Ibom origin Mrs Etop Okokon has built and donated a full stocked medical centre as well as a shelter house for widows and the less privileged to the Apostolic Church in Oboetim Ikot Ekong, Nsit Ubium Local Council of the state.
She has also established a morden hybrid farm able to accommodate more than 30 farmers to enable the widows grow high yielding essential crops to enable them feed themselves and children.
Speaking shortly after commissioning of the project by the governor’s wife, Dr Martha Emmanuel weekend, Mrs Okokon said though the health centre was built to take care of the health needs of widows but any member of the community who has a health challenge can access the services free of charge.
Okokon, who is the president of African Heritage Women in Education and Empowerment, AHWEE said most of the activities of the organisation were geared towards bettering the lives of widows and the vulnerable in her community recalling how her mother, a widow struggled to raise nine of them in the family.
According to her, “my mother had always inspired me to do the things that would improve the lives of widows and the less privileged.
“I could remember how she struggled to raise nine of us and raise us well. I decided to put up this facility in her name to help the less privileged in my community. The drugs here are given free of charge and the ones we may not be able to do, we refer. We have a consultant gynaecologist and three registered nurses.
“It is my wish to turn health care centre into a full hospital in the near future. I always remember my church and these people praying for me, therefore I decided to impact in their lives through this gesture.”
Speaking on the “Widows farm” Okokon said 30 widows were carefully selected to benefit in this season adding that more widows and extremely poor families would also benefit in the next planting season inorder to reduce hunger in her community.
The mother of the benefactor who had the health centre named after her, Affiong Udo Inyang, thanked God for the grace to witness the inauguration of the facilities.
She said it was her heart desire to give back to the church through her children recalling how the elders of the church comforted her and saw her through, during her struggling period as a widow with nine children many years ago.
“I am happy that the work has been done in my lifetime. We started our lives here, in this church, when I was running up and down with difficulties of life, the elders held me and took care of us.
“When my children started doing well, I vowed that if God spares my life, I will never forget this church, I will continue to serve God in this place. My advice is that any widow who finds herself in any situation, should hold onto God for he will never fail.” She said.
The Governor’s wife, Martha Emmanuel had earlier lauded the donor, for her benevolence and urged well-to-do individuals to learn from her and put smile on the faces of the less privileged among them.
