Save Lives with Mrs. WUZ Audu

All About Mrs. WUZ Audu

Retired chief nursing officer and midwife Mrs. Audu Wanny Usman Zakari is a lover of music. She adores the country songs of Dolly Parton, Don Williams, and Skeeter Davis, as well as the juju music of Ebenezer Obey and the reggae of Bob Marley and the Wailers. She told me that, as she retired in December 2022, she sang out to God in Igala— “apart from you, we don’t have any savior.”

She runs her organization, Arome Mercyland, without much financial support, especially since she hasn’t received the retirement benefits she’s owed since December 2023. Still, her lifelong, deep love for others propels her to dedicate herself to their wellbeing every single day. When asked if she’d prefer to take more time off from her humanitarian work, she responded, “I want to stay. I don't want to go anywhere.”

Arome Mercyland’s Life-Saving Mission

When Mrs. WUZ Audu dug a borehole for Zuma Rock Village in 2011, she sowed the seeds for over a decade of selfless service to the people of that community and beyond. Mrs. WUZ Audu established a health clinic, orphanage home, school, mosque, and Islamic school, serving the people of at least six rural communities in Niger State, Nigeria. Faced with rising prices, an ever-increasing need for care, and a lack of donors, the future of Arome Mercyland Orphanage Home is in great jeopardy.

Powering Dreams

After digging the borehole, Mrs. WUZ Audu purchased a 4000W petrol generator and a 11 by 300KVA transformer, which she often quips are now as old as her. With little power available, the lights in the orphanage home stay dimmed— attempting to draw any additional energy will cause a total outage, leaving Arome’s children to learn and play in the dark. To escape the ever-looming threat of darkness, Arome Mercyland needs a 500 by 33 kVA transformer, a 50 kVA generator, a solar inverter, and six solar batteries.

Saving the Underserved

Following the purchase of the generator, Mrs. WUZ Audu realized that because of the absence of health facilities in the area, women would often tragically lose their children before or after birth. So, she established Arome Health Clinic, which now provides healthcare services including antenatal and delivery care, immunizations, and treatment for those exposed to HIV/AIDS. The health clinic needs funding to purchase drugs, two scanning machines, and additional medical equipment, such as hospital beds and trolleys.

Since the health clinic is located next to a main road, Mrs. WUZ Audu not only provides treatment to accident victims, but also transports those with serious injuries to hospitals (10-20 km away) and brings corpses to mortuaries. However, since all of her cars are currently out of order, the health clinic also requires an ambulance to save the lives of those in critical condition.

More Than A Roof: A Home for Each Child

Noticing a large population of orphaned children in the area, Mrs. WUZ Audu then established Arome Orphanage Home, which currently houses, clothes, and feeds more than 65 kids. With more and more children, from newborn babies to teenagers, in desperate need of a home, she started to build five additional rooms. However, construction has stalled due to a lack of funding, and the orphanage is currently struggling to accommodate growing needs. To create the space needed to care for these children, we require funding for plastering, plumbing, mattresses, wiring, and electrical fittings for the five-room hostel project.

Learning Without Limits

Recognizing that there was no school in the area, Mrs. WUZ Audu founded Arome Mercyland International School in 2018. The school opens its doors to all students, regardless of their faith. But as chalkboards fall apart and enrollment increases, the need for classroom materials, from workbooks to uniforms, grows.

Additionally, due to a lack of space, funding, and teaching staff, the school does not offer classes past Junior Secondary. Senior Secondary students are instead sent to outside schools; however, Arome Mercyland needs financial support to continue paying for their school fees. Furthermore, in order to host field trips for the students, Arome Mercyland needs funding for a school bus.

Mrs. WUZ Audu also dreams of establishing an Information and Computer Technology (ICT) and vocational training center. To equip students to lead fulfilling, successful careers, Arome Mercyland requires support for a land expansion of 40,000 square meters (almost 10 acres).

Finally, Arome Mercyland asks for funding to purchase two washing machines and dryers.

Your Gift, Our Future

While the wonderful work of Mrs. WUZ Audu and her staff has served as a beacon of hope for more than a decade, the journey is far from over. The children, patients, worshippers, and community members who rely on Arome Mercyland all depend on your generosity to keep moving forward. Join Mrs. WUZ Audu and the Arome Mercyland community in this incredible endeavor. Your support is not just a donation— it’s an opportunity to save and sustain lives.