Based in Dallas, Vision Africa Ministries is an organization of faith. They have served Nigeria since 1997. The Agnes Onuoha Memorial Hospital is being constructed in Abia State, Nigeria, and a lead gift for the capital campaign has issued $500,000 to the cause.
According to a press release, the $500,000 pledge is considered a matching gift to help provide for the construction of the hospital, and the donation will allow for a three-year operational budget. The donor of the significant gift is a family foundation and requested to remain anonymous.
Agnes Onuoha Memorial Hospital found its name by honoring the deceased daughter of the founders of Vision Africa Ministries, Bishop and Ugonna Onuoha.
The chairman of Vision Africa Board of Directors is Mark Fewin. In the press release, he stated, “This amazing hospital and medical research center is the single largest and most ambitious project our board has undertaken since the 2011 completion of our radio tower and Vision Africa radio initiative which now reaches 20 million listeners each year. Upon completion, we look forward to providing vital medical and related services to this underserved area of the country.”
Dr. Greg Fitz is a medical advisor for Vision Africa and used to be the Dean of the UT Southwestern Medical School. Speaking of the medical research progress for the hospital, he said, “I am leading a team that intends to complete a research effort expected to involve collaboration from numerous U.S. medical institutions combined with our West African partners. Our research will be built around data collection. This exacting data will help save countless lives.”
The hospital has already cleared the land for the foundation of the first medical building of the Agnes Onuoha Memorial Hospital, which will be 19,000 square feet. The hospital will be a medical campus with a total of four buildings, focused on providing service to those that are in need within the community.
Vision Africa’s mission is to “Share God’s Love” with the people of Africa. The press release states that Nigeria has a population of more than 212 million people. This ministry “empowers Africans through Faith-Based Education, Leadership and Community Service radio broadcasts, medical missions, evangelism, church plants, bibles for pastors, disease prevention including Ebola, AIDS, malaria and polio, leadership development, and peace and reconciliation.”
The Dallas Board of Directors, Executive Director of Vision Africa, and U.S. fundraisers, all combined, have made these missions possible.
Speaking of Vision Africa Ministries, Facebook posts have stated, “They show love to humanity,” and “the inspiring messages from the Bible and music.”
According to the website of the ministry, it states, “Vision Africa, a God-centered ministry, empowers Africans to develop, staff, and manage life-saving, life-changing, self-sustaining, long-lasting programs to meet their enormous needs.”
Vision Africa “seeks to heal body, mind, and soul.” The ministry has a lot of support from the United States, especially Texas. Churches, other organizations, classes for Sunday School from across the world, HCJB World Radio, KSBJ Houston, KCBI Radio Dallas, and Nigeria’s Methodist Church have all supported the missions and goals of Vision Africa.
The press release talked about the history and origin of the ministry that began with its development in 1997. They developed 143 churches, and all of them had a crusade and medical mission. Medical missions have helped over 500,000 people.
In 2005, U.S. Christian radio KSBJ helped Vision Africa form LOVE 104.1 FM, which broadcasts in Nigeria and talks about Community Service, Education, Health, and Leadership.
According to Guide Star, the radio station is the only broadcasting station in Nigeria that is unrelated to the government. It consists of sharing educational lessons about public health, current issues, peace, and reconciliation.
Vision Africa formed the Media Training Institute in 2012. The institute teaches “current broadcasting techniques and radio strategies”, according to the press release. The station has continued to have a strong signal and has received international awards. It is involved in the annual convention, National Religious Broadcasters; the last convention was held in Dallas.
Guide Star mentions that Vision Africa “responds to the social, economic, political, and cultural needs of the African people by preparing leaders to make effective contributions towards the development of Africa. Vision Africa has been involved or in charge of countless conferences, conventions, seminars, and workshops educating people about God and life and equipping them for the future.”
When it comes to the medical field, they send Nigerian doctors and nurses to care for individuals in need and who have no access to medical care. They also supply pharmaceuticals.
Global Citizen says, “Due to systemic issues, coupled with the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of vulnerable Nigerians do not have access to quality health care – reducing their quality of life and their ability to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.”
Vision Africa Ministries’ website shares that their focus is “operating on the belief that we can accomplish more when we work together than we could if we worked alone.”
This focus is particularly true and proven by the thousands of people they help, the results they demonstrate, the donations received, including the donation of $500,000 for the Agnes Onuoha Memorial Hospital being built in Nigeria.
