For twenty years CORAfrica has founded schools, clinics and farms where the need was greatest, proved they work, and handed them to the institutions that will carry them on. Everything on this page was built by CORAfrica, and the hand-over of the schools and clinics completes in 2027.
Institutions we founded
Handing a school on is the intended end state, not a loss — a project that cannot be handed on has not really been built. Every institution below was founded by CORAfrica, and the hand-over to the partners who will run them completes in 2027.
Primary and secondary schools with an orphanage for children from five years old, opened with Abode for Children Inc. of Evans City, Pennsylvania. More than 4,000 pupils have been educated there, and the first Community Education Centre grew up around it. Being handed on in 2027.
A laboratory, a pharmacy and minor surgery, with community health workers in nine villages. By 2022 it was seeing around 120 patients a week, the only clinic with a doctor in a community of about 20,000. Named for Sr. Augustina Abuo, who served there until her death in 2013. Being handed on in 2027.
One of the earliest schools initiated across the diocese, since handed to the parish and still operating.
Built by the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, not by CORAfrica. Working in collaboration with the diocesan bishop, CORAfrica facilitated major works on the site — road networks, the gate house and laboratories — and the institute remains with the diocese.
Nursery, primary and secondary schools founded where there had been none at all. A new classroom block and a lodge for youth corps teachers followed, and the second Community Education Centre grew up around them. More than 1,000 pupils have been educated there. Being handed on in 2027.
The health centre of the Victoria-Ikom Community Education Centre, still under construction, with medical outreach into the surrounding villages. Being handed on in 2027.
Founded at Adagom 3 for refugee children from Cameroon who had no other way to go to school. It grew from 105 to 193 pupils in its first session, later to 479 across a primary and a secondary section, four in five of them refugee children, and by 2026 to 955, taught free of charge. More than 1,000 pupils have been educated there in all. Being handed on in 2027.
Programmes delivered
Beyond the institutions, CORAfrica has run programmes for families, refugees and displaced people across Cross River and Benue States.
From March to December 2020, a loans and savings scheme reached more than 85 families and some 50 businesses, and created around 95 jobs for women and young people. More than 85% of the loans were repaid in full.
CORAfrica trained 1,000 refugees, migrants and displaced people in agribusiness, with a seminar at the Transcorp Hotel in Calabar in September 2021, working with UNHCR, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
In the Daudu 3, Abagena and Ortese camps: two classroom blocks with six classrooms built at Daudu 3; food and essential items for 500 people with specific needs in March 2022 and 400 more in April, including 200 nursing mothers and 60 pregnant women; 40 people trained in tailoring, barbing, shoemaking and hairdressing; and exam fees paid for 98 pupils.
Support in the settlements alongside UNHCR and the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, with the CORAfrica Food Availability Programme running from 2019 to 2021, and World Refugee Day marked with UNHCR at Adagom 1 in June 2022.
Registered as its own company in 2015, Cora Farms grew to 180 acres at Idum-Mbube and 80 acres at Ikom, working with around 100 rural farmers and training more than 80 women and young people. By 2022 it kept 3,000 birds and some 2,000 fingerlings, planted 12,000 yam seeds, and grew plantain, cassava, beans, maize and soya. It continues today as CORA Farms Nigeria Ltd.
With the Diocese of Ogoja, the Ogoja Diocesan Agriculture and Investment Programme offered micro-lending, cafeterias, a furniture company, and diocesan and parish farms. It later became the ODAIP Microfinance Bank.
Recognition
Our founder, Fr. Peter Abue, is honoured during the golden jubilee celebrations of Cross River State.
At the Adagom 1 refugee settlement on 25 August 2021, with UNHCR and State Emergency Management Agency officials present, CORAfrica receives The Foundation of Africa Education Curriculum Handbook award from Mrs. Toyin Saraki.
On International Women’s Day 2022, with the Catholic Women Organisation of the Ogoja Deanery, CORAfrica presents the UNHCR Sub-Office in Ogoja with an award of honour.
Partners over the years
Government agencies, universities, dioceses and charities on two continents have worked alongside CORAfrica.