Abuja-Based Philanthropist Empowers 400 Youths, Provide Free Medical Services in Anambra Communities

By Praise Chinecherem

An Abuja-based businessman, Chief  Charles Nwanegbo Obi has extended his poverty alleviation and intervention scheme to residents of two Anambra communities -Uke and Umuoji.

Obi who had few months ago upgraded the lives of no fewer than about 400 youths drawn from 17 communities across Idemili North and South Federal constituency vide a multimillion naira skill acquisition training/empowerment.

He told journalists that the gestures were his ways of appreciating God for his blessings and abundance.

The simultaneous programs were facilitated by Hon (Mrs) Chinyere Ibezim under the Women/Girl-child Poverty Eradication Initiative platform.

Obi, popularly known as Ikukuoma Idemili while addressing beneficiaries during thr flag off of the free medical outreach this afternoon at the Uke Health Centre, expressed his happiness for the large turnout. He said that it gladdens his heart to put smiles on people’s faces through humanitarian gestures.

He promised to expand and sustain his ‘Ikukuoma Idemili Foundation’ to reach more people and to ensure that youths within Idemili area became fully engaged in worthwhile ventures to take care of their immediate families.

At the Uke outreach, Chief Obi dolled out skills acquisition scholarship to a young girl, a native of Umuoji who was in the area on a visit to a relation who recently put to bed. Also at the Umuoji Civic centre, he specially recognized little Miss Chidalu Udegbe, from Dianokwu village who is a primary three(3) pupil and gave her an undisclosed amount to help in her education.

The President General of Uke Development Union, Mr. Peter Onyejegbu commended Chief Obi’s benevolent disposition and appealed to other well endowed citizens to emulate him in the interest of the less privileged in the society. He prayed for more blessings for him.

Onyejegbu charged citizens to always seize the opportunity of such medical outreaches, especially when it’s free and to avoid self-medication.

Mrs Ibezim whose NGO undertakes and supervises Ikukuoma Idemili Foundation programs since inception about ten years ago, called on all citizens to approach the Women/Girl-child Poverty Eradication Initiative and be trained on one or more skills for self sustenance. She disclosed that on graduation they would be provided with takeoff grant that enables them  become productive and employers of labour. 

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Esther Anumba, a 59-year-old housewife mother of three, from Anogu village Umuoji admitted it was the first time an individual was organising such free medical program in the community. She said, “I thank and pray for this man for desiring our good health and wellbeing. May God Almighty preserve and uplift him more…”

The lead supervising medical doctor on the team, Dr Ubboe Onyebuchi advised the villagers to takes more good care of their lifestyles, surrounding and cleanliness.

According to him, hypertension was more prevalent among the elderly, whereas cases of malaria was high among the adolescents. And such could only be checked through modification of their lifestyles.

Another in the series of Chief Obi’s poverty alleviation programs has been scheduled for December, 2022.