Jerry Blake, the initiator of JHERI HAVI Foundation in this interview reaffirmed his commitment to assisting accident victims in need of emergency care, particularly in public health institutions.
With a concert to celebrate the Father’s Day, he uses the opportunity to raise funds for accident victims with the support of his team and colleagues, Apostle Haruna Success, Pillaz, Peterson Okopi of the ‘Osuba Re ma re o eh’ fame, Toeyoursea, Vic Da Praise, Sunny Messiah and others in the entertainment, the concert was geared to help accident victims in the state.
The initiative, which is part of Blake’s passion for saving road accident victims, is aimed at swiftly intervening and helping critically injured victims.
No doubt, many citizens are dying daily on Nigeria’s pothole-infested roads and sometimes due to recklessness on the part of drivers. However, many of the deaths could be averted, if medical help comes to the victims. JHAVI entered into a partnership with some members of his family and friends, and they have been paying for medical expenses for victims, including surgeries.
Tell us how it all started…
My name is Jerry Blake, popularly known as Jheri, I am an indigene of Oyo State and a gospel artiste who had an accident on June 13, 2007, that almost claimed his life but escaped by the whiskers.
I spent 107 days in the hospital. I had extensive tissue damage and four surgeries at Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Lagos.
was a corps member then and was serving in Plateau State. I had some jobs to execute in Lagos and I travelled to Lagos. On arrival, I boarded a motorcycle and the rider ran into a trailer and my right leg was damaged, from my knee to the ankle. The experience at the hospital was traumatic because other victims in the ward where I was admitted died and I became scared. It was at the hospital that I made a pledge to God that, if He saved me, part of my earnings would be used to support other victims. And I have done so since 2008, though the NGO was incorporated in 2017.
I started using my talent to support accident victims without looking back. I organise a benefit concert three times a year to support accident victims.
I started first with hospital I was admitted, Nigeria Navy Reference Hospital, Navy Town. We give medical supplies and medical equipments until 15 years after that I was inspired by God to choose a particular accident victim and that is how we metamorphosed into helping accident victims every year depending on the level of accident. We have been to Igbobi hospital, Yaba. We specialise on accident victims and that is what we have been doing since 14 years.
How long did you stay in the hospital?
I spent one hundred and seven days in the hospital when I had accident.
Tell us what the experience was.
The experiment was horrible. I had first, second, third surgery and waiting to do another surgery. Although, each of the surgeries I had supposed to be the only surgery. Despite the surgery, my leg was not healing. I saw people died on several occasions. It was a scary moment for me. It was beginning to look at I was going to come out of the situation. It was not a beautiful experience yet I will always remember the day, June 13 to reach out to people.
Before now, I was always afraid to go out on that day but now I see it as a day to thank God because if what the devil planned worked, I wouldn’t be saying what I am saying now. Every June 13 is always a day to thank God who kept me alive. The truth is that if I had not experienced it I wouldn’t be able to reach to accident victims in the hospital. This makes me believe that out of every mess there is always a message. God took me through that experience in order to help those in similar situation.
Since 2008, tell us how many accident victims have benefitted in the goodwill
They are about 13 accident victims. These victims are either in Nigeria Navy Reference Hospitalans Igbobi. There was a-10-year old girl that was involved in fire accident. There was one in Navy hospital with broken bone. We havw taken it upon ourselves to keep doing it and it is a vow that cannot be broken.
Area of funding, how challenging has it been?
Lots of people feel I have someone bankrolling the project or there is a company sponsoring the project, unfortunately, there is none. This is just between my wife and I, cousin and the team. We just pull our resources together. Whenever we host the concert which we organise quarterly, we solicit support from people.
When I left the hospital, the first thing I did was getting that equipment,a POP cutter and other medical equipment for donation. In the course of the donation, I met a 10-year-old fire accident victim and another boy at Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Ojo, I and family members had to raise money and we paid for their surgeries.”
The way people react to accident victims could determine whether they will survive it, suffer permanent disability or die, adding that the overall solution is to get people to support and fund victims of accidents.
One of the most serious problems in rescuing accident victims is that many people rush them to government hospitals for treatment but abandon the patients there. There are always constraints to offset the bills.
Let them be the one outside and you are in. But, my encouragement to them is that when I was in the hospital, I never believed I was going to come out of it. But, today I am telling the story and the same will happen to them too. Many of them give up based on depression. The encouragement will go along way.
I am fulfilled doing this project. Each time I embark on the project, it is as if I see myself back on the hospital bed when I made the vow.
I wrote a song about it. And every time we do the project and I come back home, I thank God.
Do you think, the package is able solve the challenge of their challenges?
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