As a young child I was always saving for young children who are disadvantaged, and at the end of every year I made donations to various charities irrespective of ‘how little or how much’. Apart from money, when I was growing up mama also taught us how to give up ‘time’ for God’s services, and time for others. I followed mama to the Legion of Mary prayer group as a child, and I later joined the SVP (St Vincent de Paul) at the Limbe Holy Family Parish - giving practical support to individuals and families in need, and caring for people who did not have anyone to care for them.  In 1994 as an active member, one of my responsibilities was to do hospital visits to those who did not have anyone to visit them and to try and trace any of their family or extended family members who could be involved in their care. From 1998 it became obvious that I derived a huge sense of fulfilment and became not only a sponsor to a young girl into secondary school but also provided a three-bedroom self-contained house as a temporal accommodation for the people who were homeless in Limbe (1998-2001) – an arrangement that I made with the local and national president of St Vincent de Paul Society at the time (Pa Simon Dikuba, now of late) and with the help of Mama. Mama passed away in November 2015 and in November 2016 we celebrated mama’s first anniversary. It was during this time that it came to my mind that I should start a project for children who are disadvantaged, especially for orphans.  I used most of my salary to construct (from sand to roof) and to furnish the four-bedroom en-suite bungalow single-handedly and supplied water (borehole) and electricity and called it ‘the Ark’ I have drawn ideas from my own life experiences, knowledge and skills to establish how the Ark will work.  Apart from my experience in SVP and other voluntary organisations, I have also been a Mental Health Practitioner in the UK since 1999 and I understand the long-term effects of mental illness especially on children. Children who are living under certain conditions may continue to experience problems that may interfere with their healthy development causing problems that can continue to adulthood if not prevented, or diagnosed and treated. After my graduation from Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford, Essex (UK) as a registered Nurse (RN Dip HE) in Mental Health, I proceeded to York University (UK) where I graduated with a Bsc (Hons) in Health and Social Care, and I later achieved a Master’s degree (MSc) from the University of Bradford (UK). I was also very pleased to have been shortlisted for a PhD Scholarship Award with Alzheimer Scotland Research Centre, Scotland, after creating a project using some ‘novel ideas’ on Social Role Valorisation on how to add value to a person’s life and mental well-being.  I have worked in various roles – as a Hospital Acute in-patient Ward Manager in the National Health Service UK (NHS 2017), as a Hospital Acute in-patient Unit Charge Nurse (Deputy Manager) Priory Hospital Springfield (2013), a Senior Nurse and Mentor, Ward Nurse, Student Nurse and Healthcare assistant (1999).
IN MEMORY OF MAMA SUSAN MBI ENOH
UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER, OUR LADY OF MT CARMEL
That the Foundation was incorporated on the 15th of Oct (feast day of St Teresa of Avila) and the Ark was launched on the 16th of July (feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) was important to Vivian because this Carmelite connection fulfilled her long-held dream of becoming part of the Carmelite family. On the 9th April 2022 she was received as a member of the Carmelite Third Order, and she sees her work with the Ark, with the SVP and with the homeless as an outworking of her vocation as a Carmelite ‘in the world’; her life of prayer and self-giving is an expression of her love for Jesus Christ whom she meets in her prayer and in the children, the homeless, the needy who need her help.
For more updates about Vivian and her New Ministry, please see our YouTube Channel Click on the link below www.youtube.com/@thearkorphancare