Residents of Kuijigbi community gathered in large numbers as the Agape Empowerment Initiative teamed up with local religious leaders to deliver a comprehensive “Healthy Living” outreach. The community lacks a functional healthcare centre, with the nearest medical facility located miles away at Kuje General Hospital. The intervention provided essential medical services, including free blood pressure checks, random blood sugar screenings, consultations, and breast health education.
Rev. Emmanuel Olutunde Ayobami Abel of Gloryland Baptist Church, ACO, Abuja, emphasized the connection between physical well-being and spiritual fulfillment during the opening event. He commended the Executive Director of Agape Empowerment Initiative, Mrs. Deborah Jokodola, for leading an initiative that complements government efforts in uplifting underserved rural communities. The outreach provided an opportunity for early detection, with several residents presenting with severely elevated blood pressure, dangerous blood sugar levels, and severe infections.
Medical personnel conducted free screenings, consultations, and distributed basic medications, including Vitamin C and deworming tablets. Volunteers also hosted sensitisation sessions on personal hygiene, adolescent pregnancy, and harmful traditional practices. The outreach offered a rare safe space for young girls facing complex social and personal hurdles, with Miss Loveth Amos, a local beneficiary, sharing her emotional testimony about the initiative's impact.
Miss Amos highlighted the struggles faced by girls in Kuijigbi, including infections, teenage pregnancy, financial difficulties, and personal issues. She expressed gratitude for the programme, which provided a trusted space for girls to discuss their challenges. The outreach identified a broader systemic issue: low healthcare-seeking behavior driven by financial hardship, lack of infrastructure, and social stigma surrounding adolescent reproductive health.
The Executive Director of Agape Empowerment Initiative, Mrs. Deborah Jokodola, noted that the event demonstrated a powerful coalition of local stakeholders, with support from civil servants and the Nigeria Immigration Service. The initiative worked hand in hand to ensure seamless service delivery, with plans to follow up on all high-risk medical referrals at Kuje General Hospital.
Mrs. Jokodola announced plans to organize adolescent girls and young women into structured community support groups, creating sustainable peer-led spaces for ongoing education and economic empowerment. The outreach is not a one-off event, with the initiative pledging to provide continued support to the community. The partnership between the Agape Empowerment Initiative and local church leaders has provided a vital lifeline to the residents of Kuijigbi.
The “Healthy Living” outreach provided essential services to an eager community, with many residents benefiting from the free medical services and sensitisation sessions. The initiative addressed critical health issues, including adolescent pregnancy, and provided a safe space for young girls to discuss their challenges. The partnership has demonstrated the impact of collaboration between local stakeholders in delivering lifeline health services to underserved communities.
Key points
- - Agape Empowerment Initiative and local church partnered to deliver comprehensive health services to Kuijigbi community. - The outreach provided essential medical services, including free screenings, consultations, and medications. - The initiative plans to follow up on high-risk medical referrals and provide ongoing education and economic empowerment to adolescent girls and young women.
