By Victor Gotevbe
There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow-Orison Swett Marden

Henry Ekwuruke, 28,works as the Programme Coordinator for Unite For Sight, Nigeria, a global organization addressing global health delivery for patients living extreme poverty. He has been actively involved in the eradication of preventable blindness and associate diseases in Nigeria.

*Henry Ekwuruke

He holds a Public Health Technology Degree from the Federal University of Technology. Owerri and with certification of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, (UNITAR) Geneva.  Henry chatted with  Saturday Youthful Vibes on why and how he empowers both young  and old across the country.

Background

I am the 7th child in a family of eight. My father is a retired banker while my mother is  a business woman with over 30 years of experience. I grew up wanting to be a doctor, an Opthalmologist to be precise because of my desire to help people have good sight and when I had an eye problem, the dream died temporarily.

Motivation to study Public Health.

As I expressed earlier, I wanted to be a Medical doctor as a lad during my secondary school education but my eye problem limited my career options and at this time I had already started working with the Unite For Sight. Hence, I decided I had to study Public Health, a medicine related field and while I still continue working from the medical network. I do love this profession even though it is challenging, it is also exciting.

If I didn’t study Public Health, I know I would have studied Medicine and Surgery but I still love my course and my job. And it gives me happiness when I implement a programme and the next day, our patients have their sight and they are happy.

Working with young people and adults at community level

I have been working with young people and adults at various levels in carrying out community development programmes. Such programmes like the Unite For Sight Nigeria – Sahara Foundation “Community Sight For All Nigeria Programme (CSFAP), involves volunteer that include interns from Sahara Group, Unite For Sight Nigeria volunteers, doctors and other young people that cut across the various geo-political zones who form part of a team helping patients with eye problems have sight while we contribute to building healthier communities.

The impact has been tremendious and great. From Sokoto to Makurdi, from Akpabuyo in Cross River state to Minna, from Onne in Rivers state to Shagamu in Ogun State, from Katsina to Umunneochi in Abia state, our programmes have continue to reach people.

Patients living in extreme poverty and we continually receive messages of gratitude from these people and that fuels our energy to do more. One patient called and said “ thank you.”

I am a Nigerian and  I believe in Nigeria, the profession is good for me and Nigeria, and I would rather stay here and help my people. I do travel a lot too but I hold my country, Nigeria to high esteem. So I would not leave for greener pastures because the land (Nigeria) is green over here.

Current Project

It is still an initiative of my organization Sahara Foundation Community Sight For All Programme (CSFAP), it is an eye health initiative that we partner eye care centres in six states of Nigeria within a year to deliver sight restoring surgeries and eye health screening and health education to patients in their community.

We have partnership deal with the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and other health institutes across Nigeria to implement the programme and it’s impact have been felt amongst the old and the young including children in Lagos State. The programme is proudly sponsored by the Sahara Group!

Advice to young people

I would like to encourage young people to follow their dreams and aspire to do great things in Nigeria for Nigeria and their communities. During the Global Youth Service Day, young people should come out and serve. This is what we owe the society for our emancipation. A reed they say never become an iroko tree by dreaming. Work your way to your dreams and live happy!

YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

BAKO, JOHN CHUKWUDi LAGOS STATE

At 22, Bako, John Chukwudi was halfway through his government – mandated community service in the state of Borno in northeast Nigeria when he took steps to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS. Since then Bako who is now an Assistant manager with Society for Family Health Nigeria – (an indigenous Nigeria not for profit, non governmental organisation specializing in public health interventions in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health) has not relented in his passionate commitment to eliminate the spread of HIV/AIDS.

In 2001, John founded Action E3 on AIDS Nigeria, a non – governmental organisation that works to educate the public about the nature, effects, treatment, and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The organisation’s efforts focus on the three E’s: education, enlightenment, and eradication. John’s own understanding of the HIV and AIDS was reinforced through a UNICEF sponsored HIV/AIDS training course that qualified him as a master trainer.

He won the Borno State National Youth Service Corps Merit award in 2002 and he was issued a letter of commendation from the Society for Family Health the same year for his unique contributions to the fight against HIV and AIDS in Borno State.

John, a two times nominee and a one time winner of the prestigious Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards was among more than thirty young leaders from over twenty countries profiled in a book written and published by International Youth Foundation U.S.A entitled “Our Time Is Now: Young People Changing The World” with a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.

John Bako who had his early education in Onitsha and Port Harcourt holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree and a Master degree in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Osun State in 2006. An author and co-author of more than 15 accepted TB and HIV/AIDS related abstracts presented at national and International conferences.

OLUWATOSIN SMITH LAGOS STATE

Oluwatosin is a final year student of Ado Ekiti University. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Lavender Events, an event management company based in Lagos. Through her ingenuity and tenacity, her brand distinguishes itself from other event management companies through its specialized delivery of luxurious simple events that are friendly to light budgets.

*Smith

As a trainer, she has inspired several young people to develop interest in her career. She started out first in 2005 with the youths of her church and then in 2008 at the Igbinedion University with undergraduates during the New Nigerian Project. Other training projects Tosin has facilitated have been with Eventique NG and the One-1000 Events.

She has over the last ten (10) years  engaged in manifold genres of human and community development and empowerment of the female folk. Her uncanny drive has given birth to initiatives like ‘The Life Girls initiative’, ‘Girls rock’, ‘Girls Alone Forum’, ‘Ladies in Business’ and several others geared toward empowering the female folk towards maximum achievement.