GEANCO's History

The GEANCO Foundation was officially established in 2005 by Dr. Godwin Onyema, MD and his family. Godwin received his medical degree in Nigeria, and has been practicing as an obstetrician/gynecologist in Chicago, Illinois since he immigrated to the United States in 1974.

Since he left his native land to start his career in medicine, Godwin has dreamed of building a world-class hospital in Anambra, his home state. Much of the work he carried out toward this goal in the 1980s and 1990s was informal. He held preliminary discussions with fellow physicians and medical professionals, analyzed the state of health and healthcare in Nigeria, and monitored the country's volatile political situation- all while praying for a lasting calm to settle upon the land of his fathers.

A transition in 1999 back to democracy brought greater stability to Nigeria, allowing Godwin to finally accelerate his efforts. Together with his four children, Gozie, Afam, Ebele and Ncheta, Godwin formally initiated a plan of action and gathered around him a team of passionate and brilliant individuals wholly dedicated to making his dream a wonderful, life-saving reality.

Our hospital will be named in memory of Godwin's father, Augustine, who made countless sacrifices for the sake of his beloved children. Augustine showed his son the power of possibility and instilled in him the desire to give back to those most in need. The good work Godwin does now, the good work we join him in doing, is to honor of those who came before and to lighten the burdens of those who come after.

Anyone who chooses to labor with us is now part of our Family. We bid you welcome.

Our foundation is named from a compilation of the first-name initial of each Onyema family member:

G- Godwin
E- Ebele
A- Afam
N- Nche and Nma (mom)
C- Chukwugozie
O- Onyema