Couple have more to offer in Nigeria
By Andre Briscoe
Posted: Wednesday, 19 December 2007

For the last five years, the New Year has signaled the arrival of much needed medicine for many who live
in the Nigerian town of Umueze. Next year will be no different, thanks to Seaside residents Richard and Gertrude Anyanwu.


"Everyone is waiting," said 42-year-old Richard Anyanwu, a nurse at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and founder of MAHAFA (Formerly known as AfricareMeds),
a nonprofit organization that collects donations of medicines and medical equipment and distributes them to 800 residents in his native Umueze at a makeshift medical center.

"This is something that everyone there is expecting,"
he said. "We are making a difference in many of their lives."

Gertrude Anyanwu is a nurse at the Monterey County Jail and will not be making the trip because she needs to stay home and care for the couple's five children.

Richard Anyanwu founded the organization after his mother died of a stroke in 2001 while visiting his family in Seaside.

Last year, MAHAFA (Formerly known as AfricareMeds) collected more than 300 pounds of medicine, including antibiotics and over-the-counter products from doctors and businesses in the county.

This year, that amount may double. Anyanwu said he expects to take between eight and 10 bags of supplies weighing 50 to 70 pounds each when he leaves Dec. 30.

"This year looks very promising. We're getting lots of donations from private citizens, from banks and department stores and churches," said Anyanwu. "People have found out about what we are trying to do. We are not trying to change the whole world. We just want to make a difference in a few people's lives."

Anyanwu and a small staff of nurses treat villagers suffering from many of the same ailments that plague his American patients, such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. Much of what Anyanwu does is teach villagers about health issues, such as the warning signs that could lead to such things as heart attacks or strokes.

"When they come to me, most of them don't know that they have these illness," he said. "Most of them haven't seen a doctor in years. You can't treat an illness when you don't know that you have one."

There is a great need for medicine in Nigeria, he said. The number of patients Anyanwu treats has steadily increased each year, he said, and he has to stretch the amount of medicine he can provide to each person in order to serve as many people as possible.

Next year, Anyanwu will travel to Nigeria twice to distribute medication and medical advice, once in June and again in December. The organization also plans to build free medical clinics in Umueze and a new well to provide clean water.

Andre Briscoe can be reached at 646-4436 or abriscoe@montereyherald.com.

How to help

More information about MAHAFA (Formerly known as AfricareMeds) can be found at www.MAHAFA (Formerly known as AfricareMeds).com or by calling Richard Anyanwu at 915-1076.

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All contents ©2007 MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD and may not be republished without written permission.

Copyright (c) 2007 The Monterey County Herald

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Donations to MAHAFA (Formerly AfricareMeds) can be in the form of monetary, office equipment, office supplies (stamps, paper, etc), vehicles - donated vehicles will be sold and proceeds will be used for purchasing of supplies.

Your gift, donation or assistance will enable us to provide much needed medical care and medications to children and adults who desperately need it. We submit receipts for all donations.
Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.