About Us
OUR STORY
Olugu was orphaned a small child. He lost his father to cholera, a disease that flourishes where there is no access to clean drinking water. Unable to provide for his siblings, he lost his only sister to malnutrition. During his senior year of Undergraduate Studies, Olugu contracted malaria, and was unable to write his final exams, as the disease had affected his brain. A kind-hearted doctor named Elder Dr. U.K Agwu treated him for free. Without that treatment Olugu likely would have died. Olugu came to Canada in 2005 under a Commonwealth Scholarship Fellowship. He was enrolled in a graduate program in International Development Studies at Dalhousie University, when the call came from Esther in Nigeria. Their 16 month old baby girl, “Goodness” had fallen victim to malaria and died. Their 16 month old baby girl, Goodness, had fallen victim to malaria and died. Before her death, Olugu had unsuccessfully applied twice to the Canadian Deputy High Commission in Nigeria for his family’s visa.
WHAT INSPIRED US
“I never had the opportunity to borrow or fundraise to save the life of my late daughter, “Goodness”, but now come the golden opportunity to do so in order to save the lives of other million children who die unnecessarily every year of malaria in Africa. This has given me the desire and drive to help fight malaria in Africa.”
- Olugu CEO, CHAMA.
A malaria survivor himself, Olugu lost his 16 months daughter to malaria. He lost his father to cholera and her mother to post-natal complication after child birth because of lack of health care in the rural villages. He lost her only female sibling to malnutrition soon after the death of his parents. Olugu’s mother in-law was poorly diagnised in the rural community in Nigeria and not until she travelled to the US (thanks to American lottery) that she was diagnosed of cancer. She died few months to Olugu’s wedding. Poor healthcare system rubbed her of witnessing her first daughter’s marriage in 2002. His brother in-law was born normal, but lost his two eyes at the age of eight after a minor surgery because of poor healthcare system in the rural community. All these tragedies took place in the rural communities of Ohafia in Nigeria. These personal tragedies have angered Olugu’s moral values and triggered action, leading to the formation of CHAMA. Olugu aspires to stop these needless deaths by helping to provide the much needed healthcare and other life necessities to the rural citizens of Africa. It is time to give back to the community. These children are not dying of disease, they are dying of NEGLECT! Every child deserves the right to live!
WHO WE ARE
CHAMA is a faith based charity, founded under the tenets of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our core Christian values at CHAMA are the foundation and primary principles which drive our ministry and commitment to the poor, dying children because of malaria, AIDS and poverty. We work to addressing the need to remove conditions that lead to malaria, HIV/AIDS, abject poverty, disease and ill health, especially among children, girls and women in targeted rural communities in the third world. As Christians, in all these, we hope to demonstrate the love of Christ for people who needs it and respond to the global citizen call. We exist because of the poor and we are committed to them. All to the glory of God.
WHAT WE DO
In partnership with communities in Africa and local organizations, CHAMA makes a biannual mission trip to remote targeted rural villages. During our mission trips, our volunteers work with orphaned and vulnerable children who have malaria, HIV/AIDS, providing them with health care, clothing, nutritious food, environmental friendly awareness education, school supplies, clean drinking water, health education, and skills training. In local community here in Canada, (Halifax Regional Municipality) needy immigrants new to the area are given the resources they need to get settled.
WHERE WE WORK
CHAMA is both grassroots and international ministry, working at the grassroots in the third world and African rural villages. CHAMA is dedicated to working with children, families and communities, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender, to challenge malaria, HIV/AIDS, poverty and injustice. CHAMA currently work in twenty-six rural villages of Ohafia in Nigeria as a pilot project in reaching other regions of Africa. Future missions would include: Cameron, Togo and Benin Republic and other areas in high demand of help from the malaria menace in sub-Saharan Africa.
CHAMA hopes to overcome the difficulties in reaching remote communities by not aligning with any political powers. This makes us different from other types of non-profit organizations helping in rural African and other third world countries, as we are independent.