Dear Friends,
Happy New Year!!! It is with deep appreciation and gratitude to God and you that I write this letter! The past year 2020 came with a whole lot of challenges and pockets of immense blessings to us individually and as a global community. The unprecedented times we all experienced at various levels have hopefully opened our eyes to the little but significant values in our lives namely the gift of life, family, friends, and neighbor. It is on these platforms that I wanted to express my sincere thanks to you, your family, and your friends for the incredible support demonstrated through your support of Zita’s Healthy Beginnings (ZHB). ZHB reached out to and served more than 50% extra of our normal population reached through your generous support. Our work is JUST beginning for 2021, and it is a milestone year as we turn 5years this spring! ZHB welcomed four new members to our Board of Directors to enhance the organization and we look forward to the enrichment these talented professionals bring to ZHB.
Here is a recap of 2020
January 2020
• Over 200 individuals were served at the one-day program last January, and some families were provided with some toiletries. Some women indicated interest already on the training program for community health care workers. That plan will be part of this 2021 planning.
April 2020
• Over 1,000 people in Umuawuchi Nigeria were provided with free hand sanitizers, hand and body soap, and face masks which cobbed the spread of COVID 19 spread.
• Extra 10 families were supported with basic maternal and infant care needs. One mother and child were prevented from maternal and infant delivery complications.
• 5 young women were empowered to use their God-given sowing skills to produce one of the best ZHB signature face masks in Nigeria. Kudos to our donors!!!
August and December brought myself and Zita’s Healthy Beginnings highlighted when I received awards from two prominent nonprofit organizations. What an awesome affirmation of who we are and do around the globe.
• Strong Women Strong Girls Pittsburgh chapter recognized me as a recipient of their 2020 Strong Awards in August, and you can learn more about it here: https://swsg.org/2020-strong-awards-winners/ as well as view the awards ceremony here: https://bit.ly/2JBpVij
• Global Pittsburgh recognized me as part of their Pittsburgh Immigrant Entrepreneurs awards in December. If you did not see that via social media news, here it is for your viewing pleasure: https://youtu.be/2zEz6r51mMI
By the time this message gets to you, our medical team will be in Umuawuchi- Nigeria on January 2-3rd conducting another free medical clinic outreach to mark the 5 years of Zita’s Healthy Beginnings. Children under 5 years and pregnant mothers are the focus of this year’s outreach
As we look forward in 2021, we are hopeful that our goal of securing the land and beginning building and then maintaining a maternity hospital and healthcare center will come to fruition this year. This is a huge task to accomplish in the presence of the financial climate, yet I have learned through my life journey to work by faith and not by sight. For if God wants the work, God will show the way.
I, therefore, count on all of you my dearest friends and family to continue to solicit your support of ZHB. Support comes in many ways! It can be directly from you, yet also because you talk about Zita’s Healthy Beginnings with others in your circle. You follow us on social media and share our posts, helping us reach larger views. If you shop on Amazon, please consider making Zita’s Healthy Beginnings your Amazon Smile donation recipient, this is not extra cost to you and helps us with every sale!
Please remember that no amount is too small, as every little gift counts and so does every mother and child live. Thank you again and enjoy a beautiful, magical, and grateful year.
With love and gratitude.
Zita Obiageri Iwuoha,
Humble servant, founder, and CEO
Zita’s Healthy Beginnings. Zita’s Healthy Beginnings is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit Organization
3245 Beechwood Blvd – Apt F3
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
(412) 926-6662
www.zitahealthy.org
