28/09/2023
Oyoko Citizens Abroad - OCA
Members of Oyoko Citizens Abroad are making a remarkable impact on development and other projects happening at Oyoko. Our hope is that, many more will join us by paying their annual dues of US$100 or its equivalent in their local currencies. In the US alone, we are more than 100 strong, same with Britain and Europe. Unfortunately, only a few people donate towards the development projects at Oyoko. Even if only 100 of us pay $100 each, that will amount to $10,000. Imagine what we can accomplish with $10,000.
Below is a list of some achievements owing to the generosity of a few of us:
1. In 2017/2018, we paid the medical bills of 16-year old Ishmael Dumfe from Oyoko. This boy suffered a severe eye tumor. When we got wind of his condition, it was too late to save his life. However, we were able to soothe his pain by paying his medical bills; at least by the time he died, he was not in severe pains as he used to be. Oh, we paid for his burial too! The following is a note we sent out on March 21, 2018: “I regret to inform our donors, and sympathizers that Ishmael Dumfe passed on this morning (March 21). Due to your generosity, we were able to pay for the medical interventions that the physicians recommended.”
2. Between 2018 and 2019, we completed the Oyoko Roman Catholic kindergarten school building. On January 19th, 2019, we sent the following message to our donors (you): “This is to formally thank all those who donated funds to complete the school building. Yes, due to your donations, the building is completed and in use. Your generosity has made some children very happy, and I know that you are happier for assisting these children. May all your goals be achieved!”
3. We are sure that you have not forgotten the electricity (street light) project of 2019/2020. Through your donations, we were able to extend street lights to various places at Oyoko. A few years later, we followed it up by replacing all burned out streetlight bulbs at Oyoko.
4. Due to your generosity, we have a better clinic in terms of the building and equipment. Even nature could not prevent us from contributing towards the rehabilitation of the clinic building. A few days after rehabilitating the building, a heavy rainstorm collapsed a part of the building. We helped fixed it within a few days. We should be proud of ourselves.
5. In our memory is the case of Kwadwo Barwuah, the boy who had severe dental deformity. Kwadwo didn’t have any hope until we chanced upon him when we were distributing money and some food items to the needy in the Christmas of 2022. As luck will have it, out of nowhere, Kwadwo was captured in a picture one of us took when donating the Christmas gifts to the needy. We all saw Kwadwo’s picture then, and vividly in our memory is Kwadwo’s picture now after two surgeries. Today, Kwadwo smiles and he says he wants to be a physician in the future. The physicians who treated Kwadwo at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital said Kwadwo would have died without our intervention. We could not save Ishmael’s life but we saved Kwadwo’s life. We should be proud of ourselves!
6. Until a few weeks ago, the Methodist park (Oyoko Stadium) was an eyesore – there were more deserts (sand) than grass on the field. Today, due to your generosity, the park is a fantastic one. Not only did we pay for planting of grass, we also paid for levelling the field and the construction a dwarf wall around the park to prevent people from walking through it. Our youths will have a nice field for their football games once is commissioned.
7. Though the Police Station under construction is not our project, we have contributed to the project. In fact, we still contribute to it, and hopefully, we shall continue contributing until the project is completed. Oyoko is no more a village – it is now a big town, and we all know the vices that come with urbanization. We really need to provide the police a comfortable place for them to protect us.
8. In line with the immediate above is the formation of a vigilante group to patrol the town at night. Yes, when we are sleeping, some youths keep watch over the town to make sure we have sound sleep to make sure we are not burglarized as we sleep. Before the vigilante group, the spate of theft at Oyoko was alarming. We are sure you have heard about of such thefts. Your donations help keep the vigilante group functioning.
9. Until quite recently, due to speeding vehicles, it was very dangerous to cross the main road at Oyoko. As we all know, some people were needlessly killed crossing the road. We lobbied for speed ramps to be constructed at strategic points on the road. In fact, some members of Oyoko Citizens Abroad were on the ground to supervise the construction of the ramps. Since the construction of the ramps, nobody has been knocked down by vehicle. We are all safer now.
10. We have to be proud of the annual Christmas and Easter gifts we give to the needy at Oyoko. We have all seen some “deplorable” pictures and videos of some elderly poor people at Oyoko. Twice a year, due to your generosity we put smiles on the faces of many people at Oyoko. We should be proud of ourselves. Giving is a blessing, and the Lord will continue blessing us!
11. Last but not the least, a number of individuals in the group have donated generously various hospital equipment to the community clinic, whilst others have also donated books to the community library and the secondary school.
We hope that what a few of us have been able to do for Oyoko will convince you to join us by paying your annual dues of $100 or its equivalence in your currency.
Let's all contribute to make Oyoko great again.
God bless you All
