Leadership Initiatives Students Creating Change

Dear Amazing Leadership Initiatives Donor,

Ananyaa, Adam, Helene, Salem, and Desika in the International Public Health Internship have been engaged in months of cultural immersion and have been building connections with our partners in Nigeria to accomplish the goal of fixing imperative issues that the community is facing.

Ananyaa, Adam, Helene, Salem, and Desika have been working with Mubarak, a project coordinator in the field in the Lushi Community. Through skype calls, the team has learned about the obstacles facing individuals that are dealing with Communicable Diseases. In January, Team 23401 worked hard to create a community workshop proposal to address Communicable Diseases in the Lushi Community. Your support of Ananyaa, Adam, Helene, Salem, and Desika and their hard work is crucial to the success of each team and solution.

For team 23401’s final intervention, Ananyaa, Adam, Helene, Salem, and Desika are preparing a community workshop to build individual and community capacity to address Communicable Diseases. By increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy, Ananyaa, Adam, Helene, Salem, and Desika hope to raise awareness about Communicable Diseases in the Lushi Community.

Additionally, Leadership Initiatives is beginning work on three community development projects in rural areas of Bauchi, Nigeria. In the Inkil community, plans are underway for the construction of a new school building that will allow educational opportunities for local children and foster a brighter future. In the Gwallagan Mayaka community, efforts are focused on the installation of a borehole, a system that will provide clean and accessible water to residents, addressing a fundamental need for health and sanitation. In the Guru community, a culvert bridge will be constructed that will foster connectivity to other communities and allow access to vital services during the rainy season. These projects underscore Leadership Initiatives' commitment to empowering communities, driving sustainable development, and creating lasting positive change.

On behalf of everyone at Leadership Initiatives, thank you for everything that you have done. We all truly appreciate your donation and support for our organization. Everyone at Leadership Initiatives would love to have you more involved in our organization if you would ever want to help us grow our programs or learn more about ways that you can assist. Please contact Executive Director Marshall Bailly at mbailly@lichange.org if you have any suggestions, questions, or comments!

Sincerely,

The Leadership Initiatives Team

We want to thank you for your support to the Leadership Initiatives’ Interns participating in the  International Internship Program. Your donation has helped establish monumental growth in equitable healthcare for the Nagari Medical Clinic, while also helping to make healthcare more affordable for thousands of patients. 

President Tinubu's decision to end Nigeria’s fuel subsidy had severe consequences, with gas stations tripling prices overnight. The domino effect impacted transportation fares, electricity, and food for millions of people. Healthcare facilities were already strained and faced a dire situation as the cost of energy, drugs, and retaining health workers skyrocketed.

The Nagari Medical Clinic, a vital healthcare provider in the Federal Low-Cost district in Bauchi, saw its energy costs surge, jeopardizing its ability to offer affordable care. Like most individuals, businesses, and healthcare facilities in Nigeria, Nagari was forced to use generators to power their clinic as their primary source of electricity due to the inconsistent supply of energy from the National Electricity Grid. The Clinic’s average spending on energy supply increased more than 400% in the last six months alone.

The rising expenses could not be easily absorbed by patient bills. Most patients faced financial constraints of their own, earning an average monthly wage of about $30 USD. The increased health expenses threatened to make many medical services unattainable for patients, especially with over 90 percent of the population lacking coverage from the National Health Insurance.

The increase in fuel cost created extensive impacts on the Nagari Medical Clinic. Forced to pay over 25% more for drugs and consumables, higher operating costs for life-saving machinery, and increasing costs for travel of doctors and nurses, the clinic had to restrict access for patients. It started closing at sunset to avoid increased electrical costs and limited access to high-energy machines like X-ray machines. Diagnosis and treatment had to be delayed until daylight hours, and the storage of crucial medicines and vaccines was affected. 

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Leadership Initiatives worked with interns from its International Internship Program and embarked on a mission to alleviate the Nagari Medical Clinic's challenges. Interns called upon their communities to participate in the GlobalGiving Little by Little Fundraising Campaign, collecting small donations from over 1,500 supporters in September. This proved to be a turning point – the funds raised were instrumental in acquiring 40 400-watt Solar Panels, lithium-ion batteries, and a 15KVA/240v Solar Inverter for the clinic.

The installation of solar panels is a major improvement for the Nagari Medical Clinic. The hospital now enjoys a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply through solar energy, marking a significant shift in its operations. The lights are always on, and the medical staff can attend to patients without the hindrance of unreliable electricity. The solar-powered infrastructure ensures the integrity of stored medicine, contributing to the overall improvement of healthcare services. Plus, the solar panels produce electricity in an environmentally sustainable way, eliminating generator emissions of carbon dioxide and pollutants that contribute to air pollution and climate change.

Beyond its environmental benefits, the solar initiative translates into economic relief for patients. The hospital's reduced energy costs are reflected in the patient’s bill for a visit, making healthcare more affordable & accessible to the community. With a reduced economic burden, patients are able to seek treatment earlier, allowing for prompt detection, diagnosis, and treatment. 

The interns participating in the International Internship Program, with their dedication and the support of their donor networks, our interns have exemplified the power of collective action in addressing critical healthcare challenges. The solar initiative not only reduces the immediate burden on the Nagari Medical Clinic but also sets a precedent for sustainable and environmentally conscious healthcare practices. As the world grapples with evolving challenges, initiatives like these showcase the impact of innovative solutions in creating positive change and promoting resilient communities.