Note: This article was published before the event it describes. Spark a Spectrum took place on April 2, 2026, reaching 84 centers across 31 countries with more than 2,000 volunteers.
On April 2, 2026, families across Abia State, Nigeria, will walk into Harriet Hotel, Umuahia, to receive free autism screening. That space was made possible by Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, Commissioner for Health, Abia State, and Dr. Ifenyinwa Blossom Uma-Kalu, Permanent Secretary of the Abia State Ministry of Health. It started with one volunteer who refused to stop showing up.
Amarachi Nwankwo: from fellow to leader
In 2025, Amarachi Nwankwo completed a year-long SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) Fellowship under Nigeria's Federal Government initiative, one of 774 healthcare professionals placed across every local government area in Nigeria. As part of the fellowship, ABA World and the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CADD) at the University of Houston-Clear Lake delivered a one-week training on early autism identification and support. The skills Amarachi brought to Abia State came from that fellowship year.
Most fellows completed the program and moved on. Amarachi stayed. She continued seeking out learning opportunities, volunteering with ABA World, and deepening her knowledge long after her fellowship ended. This year, she became the coordinator for Abia State, leading the local Spark a Spectrum team alongside co-coordinator Roland Okere. And when it came time to secure a venue for the April 2 event, she reached out, made the case, and asked. The Commissioner said yes.
A ministry that took notice
The support from Abia State's Ministry of Health extends beyond one venue. Dr. Okorie, SWAp Desk Officer at the Ministry, joined the global Celebrity Heart Challenge, a social media campaign where leaders and public figures raise their hands for autism inclusion. Obinna-Odoemela Onyinyechi, Digital in Health Focal Person at the Sectorwide Approach Office, Ministry of Health, has also lent her support.
From the office of the Honourable Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Nkeiruka Robinson Johnson, Head of Department Social Protection, and Mrs. Ijeoma Ahamefula, Social Protection Officer, also participated in the challenge, bringing cross-ministerial visibility to autism awareness in Abia State.
This is what it looks like when government and community move together
None of this would exist without the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and specifically without Dr. Ashiru, whose leadership made the SWAP training possible. Investing in autism awareness for 774 frontline healthcare professionals, one in every local government area in Nigeria, was a decision that will have effects far beyond any single program or event.
The second SWAP cohort has begun, and we are already seeing its reach. Fellows from both cohorts are now among our most active Spark a Spectrum volunteers. Amarachi is proof of what happens when training is paired with purpose.
We hope this partnership continues to grow. ABA World stands ready to support the next phase of training, specialization, and system-building for autism care across all 36 states.
We invite commissioners, permanent secretaries, and local government officials across Nigeria and beyond to ask: what would it take for your state to do the same? The autism screening on April 2 is free. The training for screeners is free. The families are waiting.
Visit abaworld.org/spark-a-spectrum to learn more.
Spark a Spectrum 2026 · ABA World & CADD UHCL · 31 Countries · 2,000+ Volunteers · April 2, 2026
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