A BRIEF STORY OF THE FOUNDER OF CITY OF REFUGE – FRIENDS’ CLUB
Nenpan Monday Zakka
Who is Nenpan Monday Zakka?
Where is she coming from?
What work and impact has she been making over the years?
Nenpan Monday Zakka is a youth activist, a community mobilizer and a creative writer. Nenpan is harnessing her skills and youthful brawn for humanitarian activities, which are greatly easing the burden of human existence in her society, and promoting peaceful coexistence. A country young woman hailed from a small community called Gwabi in Pankshin, of the suddenly turned volatile Jos Plateau of Nigeria; Nenpan has been an instrument of great social change in her society.
Nenpan Monday Zakka began her humanitarian activities at a very tender age. As a little girl she developed an acute sensitivity to her African community. Discovering her ability with the pen, she brought to the fore in a novel the plights of orphans in her society – the child abuse orphans are subjected to, and their destitution. Nenpan’s first novel titled TEARS IN SILENCE is the story of the nightmare of orphans in her African society. As a young girl living in obscurity publishing the novel proved a challenge. Nenpan did not relent. She went ahead to write sequences to the first novel: THE MYSTERY OF SANDS, and LAUGHTER AT DAWN. Both sequences are stories about child destitution and abuse. Nenpan went about literally reading her stories to her friends, family members, neighbours, school mates and whoever was patient enough to listen. The passionate responses of listeners to her informal readings spurred her writing career.
Still a little girl, Nenpan would organize children in the neigbourhood to rehearse and present play-lets and dramas in her local church. The plays all had the themes of the plights of orphans in the society. The making of a girl who was later to intervene and bring succour to many in her society began. Born into an average African family, Nenpan spent a great time of her young life preoccupied with the unfortunate estate of the poor in her society. As a young girl she would reach out in whatever small and practical way to the poor around her.
In 1999 Nenpan went to volunteer her service in the orphanage arm of Our Lady of Apostle Hospital and Orphanage Zawan, Plateau State of Nigeria. Every evening from 4:00pm to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, she availed herself in the orphanage. Nenpan did this for about five years, while later working for a wage from 7:00am to 2:00pm in the hospital arm of Our Lady’s. She organized extra mural classes and outdoor activities for the school age orphans, helped to bathe and feed the toddlers. Find below pictures of Nenpan at various activities and programmes with the orphans.
Nenpan seated on a chair in the middle with arms over the orphans after an extra mural class
Nenpan at the rear (right) performing with the orphans at the send off party of a nun (Mary Cahill leaving for Ireland) in the orphanage
Nenpan seated in the middle with orphans and some kids from Zawan village ready for Christmas carol (Christmas 1999)
Being genuinely concerned about the orphans and patients in the hospital Nenpan naturally became a favourite among workers. It was very normal to find her in late evenings with patient’s relatives, comforting and encouraging them, or encouraging abandoned expectant mothers in the labour room, in the evenings after her time in the orphanage. These acts did not go unnoticed. In 2001, 14th February (Valentine’s Day) Nenpan was voted the Valentine of Our Lady of Apostle’s Hospital and Orphanage. In a big party she was celebrated by staff, their families and other invited guests. Before the party she was kept behind a closed door and guests had to pay a token to see her. It was fun and humorous. Find below the picture of Nenpan dressed as the Valentine, behind closed door.
Nenpan as Valentine 2001 OLA HOSPITAL AND ORPHANAGE ZAWAN