Faith Alive USA, Inc.

Join us in congratulating the Graduates of the Hwol Yarje School in Jos Nigeria. 36 students graduated in this, the thirteenth year of operation. The school is administered by the Faith Alive Foundation in Jos and students attend at no cost. Congratulations all!

Dr Chris and Dr Mercy attended the ANPA (Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas) annual convention in California last month. Here they are along with members of Faith Alive's board of directors. The meeting is a great way to connect the work of Faith Alive with other Nigerian medical professionals, many of whom do philanthropic work in their home country. The matching outfits were made by the Faith Alive Sewing School in Jos.

Congratulations to our fellow board member Dr Cliff Eke who is the new President of ANPA (Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas). Dr Cliff is an accomplished surgeon and and a tireless champion of organizing and leading surgical missions around the world. You can read more about him here: https://anpa.org/about/message-from-the-president/

Here he is accepting his duties at last weeks ANPA convention. Congratulations Dr Cliff!

Steady Progress on the Solar Panels. Work continues on the solar panel project, slightly slowed down by the rainy season. This picture offers a view of the Jos city landscape and shows some of the wealth disparity. Wealth in Nigeria is highly concentrated; 90% of the population lives on less than $5.50 USD a day and 40% live on less than $1.25 USD per day. Faith Alive's mission in Jos is critical because there are few options for healthcare in such an environment.

Solar Project Update: our project to equip the Faith Alive Hospital roof with solar panels continues. Here in the picture, workers are installing the framework for the panels. Because of the large number of panels, the framework ties into the structural components of the building itself to support the extra weight. Please pray for the safety of the installers, among other things, it is quite hot up on a metal roof in Nigeria!

New Borehole (Well) for Faith Alive. Having a clean and ample supply of water is key for a hospital, especially in Nigeria where most of the water supply comes from wells or boreholes. Water quality in Jos is generally pretty good IF the right equipment (piping and pumps) is used and maintained. Faith Alive USA underwrote this new borehole and other site prep work that will support the planned Children's Hospital that is being funded by our friends at Bayside Church.

C Arm Image Intensifier Arrives at Faith Alive. The latest investment in equipment for the Hospital and for the Center of Excellence is this "C Arm Image Intensifier" - an x ray that can be used during surgery while the patient is on the operating table. Very useful for orthopedic surgeries, examinations, and other general surgeries. As we broaden the types of surgeries that can be done at Faith Alive, we can help more people in Jos, Nigeria. While most use of the C Arm will be for needy patients, having this machine available to the Center of Excellence means more fee-based surgeries can be offered for wealthier patients. These fees help sustain the free side of the Hospital, and are the sustainability benefit of the Center of Excellence. Learn more about the Center of Excellence at www.faithaliveusa.org

Hospital Stats for 2023:

It is always amazing to see the number of patients served. Take a look:

Total Patient Visits 31,972
Patient Visits Related to HIV/AIDS 11,765
Patients Admitted into hospital 2,054
Maternity Related Visits 9,211
Babies Delivered 1,556
Laboratory Tests 11,155
Digital X-Ray 1,009
Conventional X-Rays 1,120
Fibroscans 4,318
Gastroscopy/Colonoscopy 642
Students attending Schools 632
Patients/Clients in Vocational Training Program 54
Surgical Consultations done 760
Surgical Operations done (Excluding eye) 932
Eye Surgeries 256
General Out Patient seen 20,207
Total Numbers HIV tests done 3,521
Cardiology Related visits 995
Ophthalmology Related visits 4,531
Gynaecology Related visits 735
Psychiatry Related visits 113
Echo investigations 210
Ultrasound Investigations 1,212
ECG Investigations 224
Skills Acquisition Sewing 36
Skills Acquisition Catering 3
Skills Acquisition Computer 10
S Skills Acquisition shoemaking 3
Skills Acquisition Knitting 3
Skills Acquisition Salon 2
Outreach Center HIV Tests 982
Total number of patients screened for TB and COVID 9,553
Patients Receiving Anti-retrovirals 5,885
Dental Related visits and procedures 303
ENT visits and procedures 477
Youth soccer team members 64
Adolescent care services hospital visits 521
Food Bank (FANOL) Beneficiaries 1,296

Your donations at work: A year ago, our donors raised $200,000 for a Laparoscope, and here it is in action. In this picture, Dr Mercy and team are performing an appendectomy. Laparoscopic surgery is less invasive, meaning shorter recovery times for the patient, less blood loss, and less trauma. Bottom line is more surgeries so more people can be helped at Faith Alive in Jos Nigeria. Thank you donors!!

Solar Panels Begin Arriving at Faith Alive:
Construction is underway for the Solar Array on the roof of the main hospital building. Here Faith Alive is taking delivery of a few of the panels. Care must be taken to secure all of the materials as theft is common in a country that is so poor. A few of the panels are already installed and producing electricity. Since December, diesel prices have continued to rise (+50%!) so this project will have even more impact that we first thought.

Triplets Born at Faith Alive!

Last week triplets were born at Faith Alive Hospital in Jos, Nigeria. They are the first set of triplets to be delivered at Faith Alive. Maternity care is a large part of the services provided at the Hospital - annually about 1100 babies are delivered there and there are about 7000 maternity patient visits. Keep them in your prayers!

Solar Project Goal Accomplished! Thank You Donors!
We raised over $155,000 and fully funded our project to put Solar Panels on the roof of Faith Alive's main building. We had a tremendous response to this effort and look forward to bringing you updates on our progress! Psalm 9:1: "I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds."

Almost There!
We are within $10,000 of fully funding the Solar Project!
Every donation will be matched $1:$1 via a matching gift.
Help Us Finish Strong! www.faithaliveusa.org

DOUBLE your gift to Faith Alive!
Announcing a dollar for dollar donation match - EVERY donation from now until year end will be matched to help us reach our Solar Project funding goal. We have raised $120,000, only $35,000 to go!

A gift to fund the Solar Project will be a gift that keeps on giving year after year by redirecting diesel costs to hospital operations that save lives.

Won't you help us? Please visit faithaliveusa.org to donate

Nigerian Nonprofit | Jos, Nigeria | Faith Alive USA Faith Alive USA is a nonprofit organization working to transform the lives of the poor, vulnerable and sick in Nigeria.

Say yes to the dress our students are the best!! More Empowerment Graduates at Faith Alive. Here are some of the sewing school grads posing with a sewing machine - each graduate receives a machine courtesy of a gracious donor.

Empowerment Skills Graduation - Faith Alive's Skills classes graduated last Saturday and the staff was on hand to congratulate the graduates. Check out this cake from the catering school! Faith Alive is more than just a hospital: counseling, skills training, school, youth athletics, food bank, and satellite clinics. Your support helps this all to happen in Jos Nigeria.

Celebrate Lives Saved on World AIDS Day
In 1995, Dr Chris Isichei founded Faith Alive on a street corner in Jos, Nigeria, with $333 in his pocket. Dr Chris gave up a medical career in the US to help his fellow Nigerians combat the ravages of AIDS. What started as a humble counseling center is now a bustling hospital and social services center. Still, about 40% of patient visits are AIDS related - about 15,000 patient visits annually.

Care does not stop at medical treatment. Because those with AIDS can also be social outcasts, Faith Alive runs a counseling center and a skills center where students can learn sewing, catering, computer skills, shoemaking, and other skills, so that they can earn a living if disowned by family.

Every December 1, Faith Alive in Jos celebrates World AIDS Day with a candle lighting ceremony to celebrate and remember those touched by this disease. Won't you celebrate with us by donating? Thank you!

Sustainable Investments in Lives:
What makes Faith Alive extra special is that most of our projects also provide sustainability benefits to the hospital in Jos. The Center of Excellence at Faith Alive is a collection of modern medical equipment that not only serves the poor but also attracts wealthier, fee paying patients to the hospital. These patients would otherwise have to travel many hours for medical services. Faith Alive generates about $50,000 annually from these services, and the income is used to subsidize hospital operations for the poor. Last year's Laparoscope project is a prime example of a Center of Excellence project.

Likewise, this year's Solar project, while not medical equipment, is also an example of a project with sustainability benefits - cash savings from lower diesel fuel costs (~$60,000/yr). Like the center of Excellence, these cash flows will be used to subsidize the main hospital for the poor.

Project like these allow your donation to Faith Alive to be a gift that keeps on giving years after the donation. Won't you help us?

www.faithaliveusa.org

Powering Hope In Jos, Nigeria:
Our Project this year addresses a huge area of need: Power. Jos suffers from power outages – these occur daily, sometimes for many hours at a time. This is potentially life threatening for a hospital that has as many as 20-30 surgeries going on in a given day. Currently, diesel generators provide the backup power, but as diesel fuel rises in cost, this gets expensive – running the generator costs about $30 an hour.

Our Solar Project will eliminate about one third of the generator run time by covering the roof of the main hospital with solar panels. This will save the hospital about $60,000 a year in diesel fuel - this is real cash flow that will be repurposed to fund additional hospital operations.

In other words, a gift to fund the Solar Project will be a gift that keeps on giving year after year by redirecting diesel costs to hospital operations that save lives.

Won’t you help us raise $155,000 for this project?

Diesel fuel in Nigeria has more than doubled in cost over the last year, and now at about 1100 Naira per liter ($5.50/gallon). That makes running this diesel generator expensive - about $30 for each hour it runs. Because it usually runs 5 or 6 hours per day, this has become a big expense for Faith Alive. Our fall project will help alleviate this burden - stay tuned for updates!

Meet Faith Alive’s Dr. Luku Pwaluke. As the CEO of Faith Alive in Jos, Dr. Luku runs all the day to day operations. He was born in Adamawa State (northeastern Nigeria) went to the University of Maiduguri for all his degrees. Dr. Luku has two children and his wife is also a Doctor. “I regard FAFN as a mission hospital, God's center where I can give back my acquired medical knowledge God gave me to the people that walk through the corridors of the hospital.” His favorite Bible verse is Daniel 12:3: “Those who are wise shall shine, Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness, Like the stars forever and ever.”

Basic eye care in Nigeria is too expensive for most Nigerians and clinics are few and far between. Faith Alive's Eye Center is a notable exception - last year the center saw 3424 patients! The waiting area is nearly always crowded because there is such demand for even the basics such as glasses. Last year the Eye Center performed 410 eye surgeries, mostly related to cataracts, and many patients are seeing clearly for the first time in years.

Sometimes medical care must go hand in hand with Godly counseling and social services. Miracle, a 15 year old disabled girl with very limited ability to communicate, was found by her mom to be pregnant. With no one to turn to, friends suggested she come to the Faith Alive Hospital in Jos for help. The staff provided pre natal care to the girl and social counseling to the mom to come up with a plan for the baby. Four weeks later, a healthy baby David was born via C-section at no cost to the girl or her mom. Sometimes situations like this occur and we don’t know why, but the Faith Alive Hospital is there to care for the hurting just as our Savior Jesus commanded us.

Celebrating Faith Alive's Pharmacists on World Pharmacy Day! September 25th was World Pharmacists Day and we celebrate Faith Alive's team of pharmacists pictured below. Nigeria is not like the US where there are pharmacies everywhere, so the taking of prescriptions is a new experience for many patients. This group is dedicated to serving the need of our ~35,000 patient visits.

Earlier in September, Faith Alive Hospital in Jos, Nigeria, conducted a special free cataract surgery clinic for the Nigerian military and their families. Eye care is in such demand in Nigeria that the Eye Clinic usually sees 30 to 40 patients a day. They conduct over 400 eye surgeries a year! Healing physically and spiritually is our mission, so we can follow the commands our Savior Jesus Christ.

As Dr. Chris is fond of saying, “the best investment you can make is in human lives.” Here is a life impacted: 8 year old Victory was brought into the Faith Alive Hospital by his mother Blessing for a scheduled hernia repair. The Surgery team operated successfully, but 3 weeks later he was brought into the emergency room with a distended abdomen, vomiting, and convulsions. Unknown to the surgeons, Victory had another condition caused by his hernia, a bladder fistula. Victory lapsed into unconsciousness and stopped breathing twice. The surgery team began CPR, while the staff and parents began fervently praying. Victory revived and the surgery team was able to subsequently operate and repair the bladder. Victory was able to leave the hospital 2 weeks later– praise be to God! Victory is just one of the 40,000 patients helped by Faith Alive each year

Rotimi Ibidun receives "40 Under 40 Award" from American Society for Clinical Pathology!

Let's celebrate Rotimi J. Ibidun, a remarkable individual who has made a significant impact during his time at Faith Alive Hospital in Jos. Rotimi started his career there as a medical lab technician, and his impressive work ethic and dedication earned him 15 years of service. He played a vital role in establishing the PCR lab at the Center for Excellence, which was a significant achievement. His exemplary performance and commitment to his work led him to pursue further studies in the United States, where he attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and George Washington University, DC. After completing his studies, Rotimi worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital Molecular Lab. His exceptional pathology and laboratory medicine work earned him the "40 Under Forty Award" from the American Society for Clinical Pathology in 2022. This prestigious award recognizes individuals under 40 who have made significant contributions to their field.
Soon, Rotimi will join the Werfen team, a lab instrumentation company, this fall. His journey is a testament to a Godly man using his talents and gifts to help those in need, and he is an excellent example of the quality of staff talent at Faith Alive in Jos. He supports Faith Alive’s ongoing projects as a board member of a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3), Hope for West Africa Foundation.

Dr Chris visits the USA: Faith Alive's founder, Dr Chris Isichei, spent some time in New York catching up with colleagues and donors. Pictured at the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas conference with three Faith Alive USA Board members. From left to right, Dr Nkem Chukwumerije, BK Crider, Dr Isichei, and Dr Cliff Eke. So many colleagues stopped by the Faith Alive exhibit booth to find out more about helping people in Jos, Nigeria.

A Very Happy Dr Mercy! We recently had a generous donor donate funds for a diathermy (cauterizing) machine. Compare the new one to the very small old one to the right on the table! Made all the surgeons very happy!