Faith Alive Foundation, Nigeria
From a Marketplace Table to a Full-Scale Hospital
Dr. Chris Isichei
The Faith Alive Foundation began in 1996 just outside a marketplace in Jos, Nigeria, when Dr. Chris Isichei set up a simple card table and began offering free medical advice each day after work.
Dr. Chris, a Nigerian physician, had just returned home after completing a prestigious fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. He gave up the opportunity to establish a successful medical career in the United States, choosing instead to return home and serve his community.
Known for both his skill and compassion, Dr. Chris’s card table soon evolved into a small free clinic. Over time, that clinic grew into a three-story, fully free hospital with eight satellite locations. Today, the hospital serves tens of thousands of patients annually and employs dozens of full- and part-time staff. Services include HIV testing and treatment, maternity care, oncology, surgeries, general out-patient and in-patient support, laboratory investigations, and many more.
Dr. Mark Stephen
Sewing Vocational Training Class
Though Faith Alive has expanded into a full-scale hospital offering expert medical services, its team remains deeply committed to meeting the holistic needs of every patient. Vocational training programs, such as sewing, knitting, shoe-making, catering, and computer literacy, equip patients with valuable skills. Those in need are provided with transitional housing, food, and clothing. Faith Alive also operates a free school for neighborhood children, in combination with many other neighborhood supports.
Dr. Chris does not take a salary, and many staff members donate a portion of their pay. The hospital continues to operate through the generosity of its staff, patients, and external donors while also working to build centers of excellence designed to help Faith Alive reach their goal of self-sustainability - while remaining committed to free care for all patients in need.
