The North American Taiwanese Medical Association (NATMA) free clinic team successfully completed the joint free clinic with the American Nigerian Medical Association (ANPA) in Lagos, Nigeria from April 4 to 9. Overseas Chinese Affairs Commissioner Wu Mengzong, Vice President of the Federation of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria Lin Zili, and Overseas Chinese Affairs Secretary of the Representative Office in Nigeria Zhan Qianxiao went to Treasure of Love Orphanage with the free clinic team on April 10 to celebrate Easter with the children and nuns in the orphanage.
During the free clinic, colleagues from the representative office would visit the clinic every day to care for the members’ work and life. Representative Liu Yiping and his wife from the representative office in Nigeria also went to visit and cheer for the members.
Dr. Xu Zongbang, the leader of the free medical team, said that this time in Nigeria, they saw more than 3,000 patients and performed 100 operations, which was an arduous workload. On the morning of April 9, when the free medical team went to the Elegushi Chief’s palace for a free medical consultation, they also provided medical consultation services to the chief’s mother and concubine, which were well received and the whole team was very pleased.
On that day, Wu Mengzong first arranged for the medical team to visit the Lagos Port Construction, and in the afternoon, donated daily necessities to the Treasure of Love Orphanage to commend the overseas Chinese community and the medical team for their humanitarian care for the disadvantaged in Nigerian society. Wu Mengzong said that the orphanage has been established for 30 years, “This year is the 11th year that our company has donated daily necessities!” They donate more than 3 million Naira worth of daily necessities every quarter, and subsidize the repair of generators, toilets and other equipment.
Lai Ching-hsien, the chairman of Formosa Broadcasting Network, who accompanied the medical team, had originally hoped to care for the social welfare organizations in Nigeria, and also visited the orphanage. The entire group raised funds on their own and donated US$3,500 to the orphanage. Lai Ching-hsien said, “I did not expect the children in the orphanage to be so pitiful. The two nuns and the staff took care of each child with all their heart despite the lack of resources. I was very moved!” She also gave candies, stickers and stationery brought from Taiwan, which made the children who felt the love very happy.
After the orphanage trip, Wu Mengzong accompanied the medical team to the soon-to-open Taiwanese-style Thompson 23 coffee roastery, where he toured the various interior designs and machines and equipment, and tasted the coffee brewed by a Taiwanese chef, wishing the opening a success.
