Sunrise Medical

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Fr. Anthony (Tony) Okolo, C.S.Sp., V.F, was raised in Nsukka and had a family home in Uvuru, a rural town in Nigeria.  After graduating in Rome, he was sent to America and would consistently send money to Nigeria, where he would improve the lives of people in his village.     Uvuru lacks basic amenities and infrastructure, limited roads, only two wells for clean water (Fr. Tony has funded and built), limited electricity, and no place to help the sick. Because of the lack of any hospital or health facilities, infections spread, and premature death is rampant. 

When Fr. Tony was told a story about a man who died on his way to the hospital, his heart became focused on building a hospital.

Thus far, Sunrise for Rural Dwellers, his 501c3, has raised $405,401, which has funded two medical missions (as described below) and the construction of the hospital to date (through June 2024). 

The goal of $25,000 is in reoccurring monthly donations and will reset monthly.

Unfortunately, the government does not help rural communities, so they depend on charity from individuals and groups.  On many occasions, workers must stop working to take patients to a missionary hospital in Nsukka, over 40 miles away. Due to the lack of paved roads, this 40-mile drive can take up to two hours, depending on the weather. Tragically, many patients have died in the car as they were being transported to Nsukka.

The Uvuru Hospital Project has already been gifted seven acres of land. The Uvuru Town Counsel has formally agreed that once the Uvuru Hospital is built, they will fund its care and ongoing maintenance.

Based on the current needs of the 50,000 residents, the Uvuru Hospital will serve about 3,000 people per month or 36,000 per year.  

Project Cure is an American Non-Profit that provides used medical equipment to third-world countries at no cost.  We applied to Project Cure and were approved, subject to Project Cure sending a representative to confirm that 1) The hospital is there (to avoid fraud) and 2) Create a manifest of what the hospital needs.  As of June 2024, Project Cure has shipped 2,401 containers to 135 countries.  302 have been shipped to Nigeria.

In June of 2024, Chuck Irion (Assessor and Board Member of Project Cure) and Philip Tirone (Chairman of the Board for Sunrise) traveled to Uvuru to see the hospital.  

When we saw the hospital for the first time, it was MUCH BIGGER THAN I EVER DREAMED.

Watch this video of the walk-around of the exterior.

After the inspection, Chuck said, “This hospital can be an exemplary hospital in this whole area of Nigeria.” 

Hear Project Cure’s Assessor, Chuck Irion, speaking about the hospital after the assessment.

Because of the Hospital’s size, we will need 4-5 containers to fill it, meaning we will need to raise an additional $120,000-$160,000 for the extra containers.

He also recommends:
– Hire a full-time Hospital Manager who needs to be trained in Hospital management. They will do all hiring and firing, honor the Hospital, and live onsite.
– Apartments for the onsite staff.
– 24-hour paid security
– A landscaping master plan with continually monitored landscaping (landscape manager). Have a truck that can drag around and an iron rake to keep the driveway smooth without potholes.
– Plan cashew trees and other trees that can produce shade and fruit in the near future.
– Offer vendors the right to sell outside the property for a fee – nobody can sell for free.
– Wall around the entire property with the rocks that are already there.
– Provide sponsorship opportunities for donors to name rooms and parts of the rooms after their family and loved ones.

The Nigerian Board has put together its plan to accomplish all of his recommendations.

The next day, we had a medical mission and provided healthcare to 850 people. The need was overwhelming; 850 people attended the Medical Mission held at our new Hospital, which lasted over nine hours. The total cost of serving the 850 people was $10,000 ($11.76 per person, including examinations by a nurse, doctor, and pharmacist – and all prescriptions). The level of poverty and lack of essential services (like being able to take an Advil) is beyond comprehension to an American. Many of these people have not seen a doctor in years and look much older than their actual age.

See a walkthrough of us serving the poor and needy in our hospital.

These people were provided dignity and honored- it was beautiful. They were tested for HIV, diabetes, tuberculosis, and high blood pressure (to name a few) and then walked away with medicine- all for free. They were abundantly grateful – and there was never a hint of entitlement.
The doctors, nurses, and pharmacists donated their time and poured into their people. They counseled them and were with them in difficult moments (for example, telling them for the first time that they were HIV positive).

Chuck Irion, the representative of Project Cure, called the Medical Mission “one of the best, organized, best attended” of all the medical missions he has attended (out of hundreds of them).

$1 = $20/ $30 in Nigeria: We have a tremendous opportunity to levy the US Dollar for good in rural Nigeria. It’s about a 20x multiplier; when an American saves on taxes (due to our non-profit status), it can go to a 30x multiplier.

Just Wages: The dollar’s multiplying effect means we can provide just wages to many people to help us run our Hospital effectively and give them a way to honor their community and provide for their families.

I have always envisioned a plan to have volunteer doctors and nurses work at the hospital. Upon visiting the community and the Hospital, I now see the strength of providing full-time, just wages for the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, managers, upkeep, and all those involved. A full-time doctor would cost approximately $400 per month, and a nurse would cost approximately $250.

For this to work, we must provide on-property apartments for all doctors and nurses. This would require us to build apartments on the side (1-bedroom apartments, about 600 square feet) in a 4-plex style.

Belief in Our Lord: The people I met love the Lord and have a deep faith that He will provide. The souvenir they loved the most was the crucifix that goes around the neck. We must remind our donors of the spiritual benefits that will fall upon them through the prayers of the people of Uvuru and Nsukka. Matthew 25:35, “Whatever you have done for the least of my people, you have done for me.” This is not a handout to the needy; rather, being the face of the Lord to the needy.

As a testament to how efficiently we are using our money, Chuck Irion (the Project Cure Assessor) gave $25,000 of his own money to our cause. He said, “I’ve never been on an Assessment Trip like this before!”

Please consider giving; the best is yet to come!

Praise God for you!