OUR STORY

The association: Fosghub Association Britain(FAB) started off in 2008 as a group of people in Britain who are happy to freely support the running of St. George’s Hospital in Umunumo in Nigeria with their prayers, their talents, time, energy, ideas, money and connections.   St. George’s Mother and Child Community Hospital started taking care of the sick on 1st of Nov. 2016, and delivering medical care to the people  of Umunumo Town and beyond.  

How it all started:

 From left to right: Rev. Ephraim, Mrs Justina Edomobi and Rev. Canon Alan Burbidge in Igbo Cultural Costume.

The immediate trigger for this undertaking was the premature death in the womb of the daughter of Mrs Justina –seen here- and Mr. Anthony Edomobi from Umuokiri Umunumo in Ehime – Mbano Local government area – Imo State-Nigeria in 2003. They were traveling from Umunumo town to Mbano Joint Hospital in Umuelemei town, to have their baby delivered but the baby died before they reached the hospital because it is some distance away.  On investigation it became clear that her case wasn’t a one off. Umunumo town is a rural community. The lack of a close-by hospital had brought about the loss of many pregnancies and the death of many babies and their mums. By the death of this baby we realise that child mortality was out of control, and death through pregnancy is the highest source of mortality among women of child bearing age in the Umunumo community and in many parts of rural Nigeria. While the government is doing its best in the big cities to address these problems, the rural communities have not fared so well. A community like Umunumo with a population of about fifty thousand people, and other surrounding villages and towns of about fifteen thousand people do not have a sizeable and efficient primary health service that can deliver healthy outcomes. 


Response:

Rev. Canon Alan laying the foundation stones of St. George’s Hospital in 2008.

In 2006, the idea of an Umunumo Community Cottage Hospital was presented by Fr. Ephraim to the St. George’s Catholic Community in Normanton, Derby, England. Fr. NCS Ephraim was on loan to the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham and was serving as Assistant priest to Rev. Canon Alan Burbidge, who was and still is the Parish priest. The good heart and generosity of Rev. Canon Alan and his parishioners brought about a dynamic and enthusiastic kick start to the building of a thirty bed facility called St. George’s Hospital, Umunumo in 2007. On the 13th of Jan. 2008, Rev. Canon Alan made a historic visit to the community and  officially laid the foundation and blessed the project going forward.

The Umunumo community received him with pomp and a huge celebration. The excitement was great and the hunger for the immediate completion of the project was very real. They honoured him with a Chieftaincy title – the Enyi Oha 1 of Umunumo Community (the No.1 Friend of the Umunumo Community). He was effectively accepted as one of the leaders of the community living abroad. 

Rev Canon Alan was dressed and honoured by the Umunumo Community.

Rev. Canon Alan and Umunumo Community Elders


 St. George’s Hospital Entrance

In August 2008, “St. George’s Umunumo Support Group –Uk”(SGUSGUK)  was formed and registered with the Charity number : 1126294. The goal of the Charity was to raise funds to support the building of the Community Hospital.  With the project completed to a great extent it was ready for use.

On the first of November 2016, the local leaders cut the tape and declared “St. George’s  Mother and Child  Community Hospital Umunumo” open. 

                                     

Mrs  Sinmi Moore –  Fosghub Charity lead - on her visit to St. George’s Hospital 2019.

Doctors and Nurses at work in St. George’s


On the day of opening, free medical services were being offered to the community, a pregnant lady walked in and gave birth to the first  baby boy who was called George. 

                                    

George on November 1, 2016.

This is George now aged 3, in 2019, the first baby born in St. George’s Hospital.


Many more babies have been born at the Centre and Doctors and Nurses at the hospital are presently being over worked due to the endless flow of people with health needs. Over 300 babies claim St. George’s as their birth place and still counting.

Some mothers and their babies with visiting Rev. Sisters.


 In 2016, the St. George’s Umunumo Support Group –Uk”(SGUSGUK) was dissolved as her members felt they had achieved what they had set out to do which was the building of the St. George’s Hospital –Umunumo.  However this new Charity is set to continue the legacy. In 2017, the Charity was renamed “Friends of Saint George’s Hospital Umunumo in Britain”(FOSGHUB) and  our association with it called Fosghub Association Britain (FAB). The Charity has expanded since 2020, to include feeding the homeless and supporting the abused in Britain. FAB has been paying the hospital bills of pregnant women from the Umunumo Community who come to St. George’s Hospital. This covers the period from Antenatal through to delivery and that of babies from 0 -5 yrs. 


Events: 

-On December 30th 2017, FAB sponsored the first Umunumo Community rally called Ezumezu Umunumo 2017.

-FAB organised the first ever fundraising event on October 12, 2019 at English Martyrs Primary school.  

-In Jan. 29th -30th 2021, a medical outreach was organised at St. George’s Hospital Umunumo. 

-Sunday 29th of August 2021 celebrated the first get-together and the 13th Anniversary of formation of Fosghub Association Britain.