IMANI HOUSE was started in Liberia, West Africa in the midst of civil war, by Mr. and Mrs. Mahmoud and Bisi Ideraabdullah . The Ideraabdullahs “migrated” to the small West African nation from the U.S. in 1985 with their 5 children. In 1990 when the civil war reached the capital, Monrovia, the children were sent to be with relatives in the States, while Mahmoud & Bisi stayed behind. When the situation in their area became critical, the couple decided it was too dangerous to stay any longer, and contacted the U.S. Embassy for evacuation. Because they had already received an official evacuation notice, the Embassy refused to carry out any further action to help them. Stranded, the two realized they had no choice but to stay.
Bro. Mahmoud (2nd from right) and Staff At Imani House Clinic- 2005
At times things were very difficult and the couple often faced hunger and threats to their safety, but they made it through. Being firsthand witnesses to the chaos and suffering of war and feeling a need to help they began volunteering, caring for the wounded and sick at Island Hospital near their home. Neither had a background in health or had ever been through a civil war, and were not prepared for what they experienced- severe hunger, desolation, atrocities, suffering and death. Large numbers of orphaned children were brought to the hospital for treatment and Sister Bisi, as she became known, helped to nurse them back to health. Many children were never claimed after recovery, so she began a makeshift orphanage in her own home and built collaborations with USAID, other NGOs and still functioning Liberian Ministries to gain support. She often made trips back to the U.S. to raise funds, shipping containers of medicine, clothing and other necessities and using her family’s own resources to cover many costs.
Sister Bisi Feeds Orphaned Liberian Children-1998
As a volunteer in the hospital she realized the extreme need for additional healthcare services, and decided to phase out the orphanage and focus on opening her own clinic, teaching residents sustainable agriculture (because hunger and lack of food were major issues) and tried to introduce soybeans as a staple in the Liberian diet, because of their high protein and nutritional value. She also started an Adult Education Program as well.
In spite of having close to no actual funding, Imani House’s first clinic was opened in 1993, and was nothing more than a lean-to tent. As time went on that became an actual brick and mortar facility that to this day provides healthcare services mainly to mothers and children. She eventually abandoned the agriculture and soybean project because of lack of interest and support .
On one of several trips back to the U.S. to find additional support, Sister Bisi realized that her hometown, Brooklyn, NY had many that were less fortunate and needed some form of assistance as well. She loved Liberia, but she also remembered where she came from, born and raised in the Marcy Housing Development. The organization’s first U.S. project started in 1991 and was a program to help those with low literacy levels, mainly immigrants. Sister Bisi choose this path as she was a former teacher and also a trained and certified Laubach Literacy Tutor Trainer with 22 years of experience. Instead of trying to “reinvent the wheel” she decided the most productive route would be to take what she knew already, and immediately use it to help others. This program catered to ten students, and was managed by Sister Bisi and one volunteer.
Medical Supplies Donation for Liberian Program- 2000
Since then Imani House’s programs have expanded to meet the diverse and growing needs of Brooklyn and Liberian communities. In the U.S. we directly serve over 1,200 low-income families, youth, immigrants and elderly each year and offer our community an elementary Afterschool Program and Summer Camp and Adult Education programing . Indirectly through referrals, community outreach, workshops and forums, we serve an additional 4,000 persons. High performance, volunteers, linkages, low-budget fundraising and careful use of resources are key to our success. In Liberia our Maternal and Child Health Care Clinic, Adult Education program, Women’s Health Manual Project and High-School Peer Education services work with over 14,000 Liberians annually.
Our headquarters are located in South Brooklyn, one of the most ethnically and economically diverse areas of New York City. Although our U.S. programs benefit all of Brooklyn, we primarily serve residents of Gowanus, Red Hook, Fort Greene, Sunset Park, Flatbush, Park Slope and Crown Heights.