Difference Maker: A Rick Hansen Foundation Honor for a SACHM Co-Chair.

In May 2012, Dr. Jane Ekong was honoured by the Rick Hansen Foundation as one of four Difference Makers in Canada in a star-studded Concert for Heroes Gala at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Emceed by Michael Landsberg and Leah Miller. The gala was the crowning finale of the Rick Hansen Man in Motion 25th Anniversary Celebration. During the anniversary tour, two people from each province were recognised as Difference Makers. Four people from this pool were later selected as National Difference Makers. Dr. Ekong made the final four.

Dr. Ekong was introduced by the talented song-writer and musician Sarah McLachlan during the gala for her humanitarian services in helping the poor and underprivileged in Canada and abroad. Her work with the children at Regina’s North Central Community Centre was featured in a short video.

Over the past 25 years, Dr. Ekong has sponsored many underprivileged children, and helped find sponsors for over a hundred others. She has also helped better the lives of people in Neply, Haiti over the past 15 years by helping a local man and his wife go to school, and then participating with others to help them establish a church, schools, an orphanage and a small medical clinic. These institutions have greatly and positively impacted the lives of Neply’s residents.

Dr. Ekong and her husband also have a charitable foundation. One of the charities of the foundation is the Purple Computer Project, which donates computers to underprivileged communities all over the world. The aim is to donate 100,000 computers to at least a 100 underprivileged communities over the next 10 years. So far, over 200 computers have been donated to 25 communities in Canada and 11 other countries. The computers have positively impacted the lives of the recipients and opened new doors of possibilities for them.

Dr. Ekong also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and other local charities in Regina. She believes that giving back to one’s community and humanity is a privilege. It was for all these activities that she was recognized as a Difference Maker. Congratulations Dr. Jane.

Picture below shows Dr. Jane being congratulated by Rick Hansen after the award.