The 14th of February is usually marked with kind gestures, gift giving, and various expressions of love. For the members of the Abuja Global Shapers Hub, it was a great opportunity to visit the Kubwa General Hospital and spread some much needed care, kindness, and love. The visit was organized under the Hub’s ‘Give A Gift’program.
The ‘Give A Gift’ program is a fund raising initiative at the hub that identifies various need areas in the community, especially during festive periods, and works to contribute to solution in whatever form. For the ‘Give A Gift Valentine Edition’, the fund raising efforts was targeted at helping to pay outstanding bills of patients at the Kubwa General Hospital, Abuja.
Through a few weeks of crowd funding, the hub was able to raise a total of one hundred and ten thousand naira (NGN 110,000). The entire amount was donated to individual patients on a needs basis, and in different wings of the hospital.
At the children’s ward, a family received twenty thousand naira (20,000 NGN) for their daughter. They had to pay for oxygen, blood, and drugs. In fact, the father of the girl was not present when members of the hub arrived because he had left to look for the funds to pay the hospital.
Another woman received twenty thousand naira (20,000 NGN) as well for her child. The amount was given to cover the payment for drugs, bed space, and oxygen for the child.
Two other mother received five thousand naira (5,000 NGN) each to enable them purchase drugs for their children.
At the surgery ward, four accident patients received then thousand naira (10,000 NGN) each to cover their outstanding bills and provide for drugs.
A tuberculosis patient in isolation received twenty thousand naira (20,000 NGN). The patient burst into tears and explained that he had been unable to afford a blood transfusion and the medication he needed to get better.
Amidst the prayers, praise, and appreciation, a gut wrenching moment during the visit was watching a father weep over losing his daughter who had been sick.
It was indeed an emotional day for the hub.
