MY STORY: Islander Helps the Motherland
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN 'THE DAILY NEWS'
in December 16, 2007
By Stephanie Nwadiei
I returned home from Nigeria, Africa, on Nov. 19. My son, Onyema, accompanied me.

I was born on the island of Galveston, but share maternal genetic ancestry with the Tikar people of Cameroon. I have no family name because of my ancestors’ enslaved history.

I have always felt a strong bond with my in-laws in Nigeria.

I am still married to the family after my divorce from my husband in the United States of America because I have three sons for them.

I was initiated into the wives of Nwadiei club. It makes me a “Mother of the Land.” I am entitled to be buried on their ancestral land.

I felt that I could honor my ancestors by going back to Nigeria and start a non-governmental organization in Issele-Uku.

Issele-Uku is my adopted hometown in Nigeria. I already have family there who love me and can help me to get things done in a more orderly and timely fashion.

I went to Nigeria on Nov. 3 on a fact-finding mission and to make contact with other educators and health care providers in Issele-Uku.

I was given a grand tour of Pilgrim Baptist Hospital and the Rev. Martin Memorial Primary and Mixed Secondary School.

I consulted with them on the many needs that would bring them up to international standards.

I taught four classes at the primary school on basic hygiene, proper hand washing technique and brushing your teeth.

We gave out toothbrushes and toothpaste to the children in the participating classes.

These tooth brushes and toothpaste were donated to the children by my friends at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Labor and Delivery, where I am a registered nurse, and antepartum postpartum units.

The children told me “thank you, auntie,” after receiving their toothbrush and toothpaste.

It was a first for some of them. Children in the village come from homes with limited resources.

I have adopted the school to do projects, while I plan my NGO in the area.

Raising funds to build toilet facilities with hand washing stations for the children is my first priority.

They now use pit toilets, which are simply a hole in the cement floor that leads to the ground.

My second project will be to raise funds to purchase books for their one bookshelf. It can serve as a library.

I will return to Issele-Uku to continue with plans for my organization as well as taking a small group of volunteers to help at the school and hospital next fall.

I have already started the nonprofit organization in this country to help raise funds. It is called HYBASIA — Helping Your Brothers and Sisters in Africa. It will empower families to self-sufficiency through education.

We will build a nursery school, preschool and primary school within the next five years. We will also have an adult literacy program and preventive health care teaching.

For more information, call 409-750-9095 or go to www.hybasia.org



Stephanie Nwadiei is a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.