Account Name: Shekhinah for the poor and destitute
Account number: 9040007051802
Bank Name: Stanbic Bank Gh Limited Funding:
Shekhinah Clinic for the Poor and Destitute has no regular source of funding outside Divine Providence,. We depend on occasional and spontaneous donations and a few individuals or organisations who freely choose to make donations regularly. History
The Shekhinah Clinic for the Poor and Destitute was officially established in March 1991. However, the first operation was carried out under a mango tree in November 1989, in front of what was to become the first clinic. Building started in February 1990 and the operating theatre was finished by April 1991. The idea of services to the poorest of the poor, purely for love of God and neighbour was borne out of David Fuseini Abdulai’s need to be happy and contented in life. He was born in 1951 to a leper father and a semi-beggar mother. One of eleven children, he was the only survivor, the rest having succumbed to hunger and poverty related diseases – measles, diarrhoea, nutritional problems such as anaemia etc. David was sent to school by a grand-uncle chief in December 1956 but became a street child in 1960 when the chief died. He was returned to repeat Class 4 in 1961 by a Catholic priest, Father Alfred Bayo. He was taken under the wing of various benefactors – friends, teachers, kind-hearted acquaintances etc – including a British lady, Miss Janet Margaret Hall and in September 1966 he was able to continue his education. This help enabled David to attend Tamale Secondary School, including free supplies of food, books, uniform and lodging. David entered Medical school in 1973, all along thinking of his poor condition and dependence on others for his survival and education. It was during these struggles throughout his schooling that David decided to spend his life helping the poor, if ever at all possible, as the only way to achieving personal fulfilment in this life. After graduating as a medical doctor in 1979, David’s dream of helping the poor like himself was intensified until in 1980, while working as a House Officer in surgery at 37 Military Hospital in Accra, Ghana, he imagined himself running a clinic for the poor. He needed enough experience however to realise his dream and it took eleven years for this to happen. During this time he worked in a wide range of places: Bator Catholic Hospital; Tamale Regional Hospital (now Tamale Teaching Hospital); West Gonja Hospital, Damongo; a spell in the UK for a post-graduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine (1985); a two-year duty tour in Zambia for more surgical experience (1986-87); two-years administrative experience as District Medical Officer (now District Director of Health Services, 1989-91); a spell in Austria to learn eye surgery and finally in 1991, he opted to devote himself to the poor, depending absolutely and unconditionally on Divine Providence. David did his first operation under a mango tree where the Shekhinah Clinic at Gurugu presently stands. In 1988 David came closer to Father Herbert Herrity, a Scottish Catholic priest he had known from a distance for years in Tamale. Father Herrity became a spiritual mentor in David’s life. He was the only one who supported him in many ways. David named the clinic Shekhinah (meaning Divine Presence). Father Herrity died in May 2000, nine years after he and David prayed together and opened the Clinic’s doors to the poor and destitute. As faith would have it, right from the very day Dr. David established the set up ( Shekhinah) it did serve the poorest of the until his sad death in2016.These doors have never been closed in all these years of existence. David got married in 1980 and had two children but the marriage could not stand the stress of this way of life, try as his wife would. It ended in 2007 and David got married again to Mariama. They had four children namely, Nasara, Wuni-mmi, Wun'titii and Nadia. Mariama, like David, is deeply fulfilled by these services to the poorest of the poor. Though a graduate of the University for Development Studies, she also opted completely to dedicate herself to the poor, declining to take up offers of very lucrative jobs of her own free will. She is now the mother of us all in the clinic do a real great job. She leads us to sustain and maintain the good legacy of our beloved founder Dr David. Current Operational Areas
Two charity clinics
There are two clinics (in Gurugu and Wamale) but Wamale currently is temporarily closed down due to some challenges following Dr. David's demise. The clinic still offering free daily medical care to the poor and destitute. Services include: consultations, treatment, surgical operations and support/care for terminally ill patients. These clinics are run daily (except weekends) on a strictly first-come-first-served basis. Exceptions to these rules are: emergencies, mentally challenged, beggars and all social outcasts who are seen as soon as possible on arrival. An average of 60-70 patients are seen in each clinic daily. Surgical operations are carried out 3 days a week. A combined average of 21 patients are operated on weekly bases. Most operations are repairs of hernias, hydroceles and lipomas.Terminal care is offered to abandoned victims of HIV/AIDS and members of very poor homes who need help to care for their terminally ill family members. The feeding Programme:
A daily meals-on-wheels service to an average of 150 needy persons made up of: mentally ill people roaming the streets of Tamale (about 85-100); the 30 most underfed prisoners of the Tamale Central Prison; a home for the poor and destitute people in the Gurugu Clinic. (about 30) and the volunteers of the Shekhinah Clinic (currently 18). Co-operation with the Police
The Shekhinah Clinic co-operates with the police occasionally to bury unclaimed bodies of persons who die without any suspicion of foul play. These are usually mentally ill people roaming the streets of Tamale. Food Rations to Widows:
Food rations are given to currently 10 widows and 8 elderly women ("suspected to be witches") living on their own. They get rationed maize every 2 weeks as food support. Destitute Home and HIV/AIDS Hospice:
We take in any confirmed destitute person or abandoned victim of HIV/AIDS who come to us. They are given food, clothing and lodging. They are free to leave whenever they choose. We have taken in patients from the Tamale Teaching Hospital who could not pay their hospital bills but were still in need of patient care. some times we offer them with accommodation:
Co-operation with Ghana Road Transport Union (GPRTU)
Co-operation with the local branch of the GPRTU works to transport stranded poor passengers to any part of Ghana for free and the Shekhinah Clinic settles the transport fee. Christmas Day Party :
The Christmas Day Party is for " the forgotten ones", beggars, blind and disabled people, lepers and their families, as well as nearby poor villages or communities and any poor person who attends. This was started in 1989 and has continued each year to the present day and we have fed an average of over 3,000 people. In 2015, the total number was just over 4,000 (4,036). The blind beggars were given a separate day for their party because of the inconvenience to them when they mixed with sighted people. This will be a new arrangement annually. Additional structures and services have been put into action as and when funds have become available. The Staff:
Every member of staff at the Shekhinah Clinic is a volunteer. They come of their own free will and will leave of their own free will. They expect and get no salary. Having no regular source of funds aside of Divine Providence (through spontaneous and sporadic donations in cash or kind), the Shekhinah Clinic cannot employ salaried workers. However, the volunteers try to live like a family, sharing their joys and sorrows as any loving family would. Needs are met equitably whenever possible. Any volunteer wishing to leave can do so at any time. Some have left and returned; others have left and never looked back. Volunteers whose ways of life are incompatible with the ideal of Shekhinah – that of love of God and neighbour - and are unable to adapt, may be requested to withdraw their services. Achievements:
Thousands of people who have passed through the Shekhinah Clinic can testify to the experience of God’s free and unconditional love in diverse ways through our services. How you can help/getting involved:
• Make a donation: as stated above, all the work of the Shekhinah Clinic relies solely on donations. Without such donations from individuals and organisations, it could not function at all. Direct donations in cash or kind are most welcome. Please make payments directly into the bank account (see details below) or if you wish to discuss making a donation, please call one of the numbers below. You are most welcome to visit the clinics at any time.
• Volunteer: if you wish to donate your time and services to the work of the Shekhinah Clinic, you are welcome. Please contact us to discuss how you might be of assistance. You can come on a short or long-term basis (some people come just to help at the Christmas Party) and in return you will be provided with basic accommodation at the Gurugu site and a warm reception. The clinics are in desperate need of medically trained individuals, especially doctors and nurses. However, anyone can come and help – there are plenty of roles to be filled. The most important requirement of any volunteer however, is a heart of love, care and preservation of human dignity, especially for the poor and destitute. Contact:
Shekhinah Clinic (For the Poor and Destitute)
P.O. Box TL 886, Tamale, Ghana
Email: shekhinahclinic@gmail.com
Tel: (+233) 0244788775/0206574415
