Since 2008 ImaBridge Africa (IBA) has built bridges of love in confrontation of extreme poverty in Africa through the provision of Drinking Water, Healthcare, Education and Microfinance. Simultaneously IBA builds here in the USA, and around the world, bridges of friendship and a caring community of people who seek to make the world a better place.
It started with the sharing of home-cooked native Nigerian cuisine with one hungry student while I worked at the Newman Center at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. This student’s advertisement led to the birth of an annual communal event where at one point over 300 people enjoyed diverse cuisines from Nigeria and learned about her rich and unique culture. Unexpectedly people made freewill donations that prompted a trip to Nigeria with five volunteers. The donations sponsored 32 students in universities. Our events later gave birth to IBA as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charity. Still in awe, I realize that “It is not the magnitude of our actions that matters, but the love that we put into them… and that our successes do not depend on doing great things, but in doing little things with great love.” – Mother Teresa.
IBA’s goal is to build bridges of love beyond the limitations of national, religious and political boundaries espousing the message of Jesus as he told us, “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and in prison and you visited me” and you ministered to my needs. (Matt 25: 31ff). With your support we are dedicated to building transformational relationships between people from dissimilar communities, the privileged and the underprivileged not by giving fish, but by giving nets so they can fish for themselves. I am convinced that when we commit to building bridges of love, nothing will surmount the indomitable resilience of our collective goodwill in ensuring that there can never be room for poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life. Please look at our website in order to see how you can be part of building bridges of love with ImaBridge Africa.
God bless you.
Fr. Godwin (Nsikan-Ubom) Asuquo
Founding Director
Between 2005 and 2010, our founder, Father Godwin Asuquo, was an Associate Pastor of the Newman Catholic Student Center at Northern Illinois University. He loves sharing his native Nigerian stories, food and culture.
In 2008, at the request of one of the college students to whom he ministered, he cooked an authentic Nigerian dish for his parishioners. This little dinner generated funds that inspired five people to travel with him to Nigeria to distribute about $6000 in donations that were raised for scholarships.
Upon their return, they founded ImaBridge Africa. Ima, in Father Godwin’s native dialect, means love. ImaBridge Africa is building a bridge of love to those less fortunate.
IBA Board of Directors Chair
Executive Director
Director of Public Relations & Chair of Advisory Board
Board Member
Secretary
Board Member
ImaBridge Africa is a faith-based charity dedicated to building transformational relationships between people from dissimilar communities, the privileged and the underprivileged. We are called to aid the African rural poor in developing skills, knowledge, attitudes and experience for self-reliance and the capacity to work together to solve their leading problems
