West Orange, NJ — Adopt One Village, the non-profit organization founded by West Orange, N.J. mailman Emmanuel “Baba” Anim-Sackey, is organizing a dental mission to Ghana, Africa, to help those in need of dental care. A team of dentists will visit the village of Kwahu-Abetifi from April 6 to 16 to provide check-ups and dental procedures. Adopt One Village is looking for dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants to join what is sure to be a rewarding trip. If you are interested in attending, know someone who may be, or are interested in helping prepare for the trip by asking for donations of medical supplies, please contact the trip’s administrator, Tobi Indyke;, at
[email protected], or call 973-865-1966. Adopt One Village was founded by West Orange mailman Emmanuel ‘Baba’ Anim-Sackey, who came to New Jersey from the village of Kwahu-Abetifi in Ghana over 12 years ago. As the youngest of eight children, Baba, as he is affectionately called, walked two miles to school in his bare feet. He didn’t get his first pair of shoes until he was 15 years old. Baba would go back to visit his village and bring as much clothing as he could with him to distribute.
As residents on his mail route found out about his selfless act ,word spread and clothing drives began. Soon after, a shipping container was donated and Adopt One Village was born. In the summer of 2008, the town of West Orange, at the helm of Mayor John McKeon, officially adopted Baba’s village. Baba was named the 2008 Citizen of the Year by Mayor McKeon. In September of 2009 Baba traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive the National Humanitarian of the Year Award from the National Association of Letter Carriers.
In May of 2010 Baba made his fourth trip to Kwahu-Abetifi with three shipping containers filled with goods donated by residents of West Orange and surrounding communities. The Life Christian Church of West Orange sent a team of 10 people on this trip, and with the help of village craftsmen began remodeling an old building that will soon house a clinic.
To learn more about Adopt One Village, visit www.aovglobal.org/.
For news about another mission, go to tinyurl.com/5s3usfj.
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