 A helping hand for more healing hands Metuchen couple seek funds to train doctors and nurses in Eritrea 4/3/2007 By Sharon Adarlo, Star-Ledger Staff When John and Jennifer Fong heard news of atrocities in Sudan a few years ago, they felt powerless to stop them. "The problems in Africa seemed so large," Jennifer Fong, a Metuchen resident, said. "We felt this huge calling for help." The couple is now working to aid African countries by attempting to raise $100,000 to donate to Physicians for Peace, which plans to use the funds to send medical professors to Eritrea, a country next to Sudan and Ethiopia, to train the next generation of doctors and nurses. The Fongs are donating all of the profits during April from their business Learning is an Art to the cause and are soliciting additional donations. Learning is an Art is a direct-marketing firm the Fongs run from their Metuchen home to sell educational products for children. "We were very thrilled and grateful when they contacted us," said Cliff Bryant, spokesman for Physicians for Peace. "It's a great fit. They have the same desire to serve." Eritrea's lack of medical services is a pressing concern to Physicians for Peace, which is based in Norfolk, Virginia, Bryant said. The country's infrastructure has been decimated by years of warfare during its struggle for independence from Ethiopia, he said. "There are only three physicians to every 100,000 people. And this is a country of 4.8 million," Bryant said. "There are only four pediatricians and five surgeons in the whole country." During the many years of instability, many doctors and nurses fled Eritrea, Bryant said. Even during times of relative peace, hospitals have had to cancel operations and people can't get treatment for common ailments, he said. To rebuild the health care system, the country teamed up with George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and Physicians for Peace. Professors plan to go to the Orotta Hospital and School of Medicine in Asmara, Eritrea, and teach future physicians and medical professionals, Bryant said. The positions require money because of books and living expenses. That's where the companies and individuals like the Fongs come in, he said. This is not the first time the Fongs have given to charity. In fact, the mission of their company is to not only sell interactive educational products to parents and their children, but to make a difference in the world, the Fongs said. The Fongs started their business last year with the goal of building a direct marketing company similar to Tupperware. Stay-at-home moms may make money by inviting other mothers to parties where they can buy products from Learning is an Art. "We are passionate about educating our kids. This also gives women a chance to own their own business," Jennifer Fong said. Their initiative for Eritrea this month will serve to highlight the country's problems, she said. "I think we can raise the money," Fong said. "It's a big goal but it's something we can accomplish." |
