Mental Health Benin Project #49854

Open First Addiction Center in Benin

by Les Amis de la Saint-Camille

Project Report | Aug 9, 2021
2021 Second Quarterly Report

By Jocelyn Bonner | Project Co-Leader

Dear Friends of the Mentally Ill in West Africa!

We have some great news to report! Hot off the press! Our founder of Association Saint Camille, Gregoire Ahongbonon, has secured the remainder of the funding for the Addiction Center from an Italian organization. This is further proof of his endless resourcefulness and dedication to the mentally ill. He sends his thanks for what you have done in support of the "Forgotten of the forgotten".

Gregoire has asked us to support a new project: a children's center for those abandoned due to behavioral issues and epilepsy. Please watch for a new project in the near future.

Many thanks again for all of your support. We will continue to support the need for medications as we phase out our support for the Dassa project. Pictures will be posted when available. We take our lead from Gregoire who knows intimately well what the needs are for the people of Benin, Togo and Ivory Coast.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn Bonner

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Mar 29, 2021
2021 First Quarter Report

By Jocelyn W Bonner | Project Co-Leader

Dear Supporters:

Many thanks for your financial support of Les Amis de la (Friends of) Saint Camille's project to Open the First Addiction Center in Benin, West Africa. Thanks to you, we surpassed our goal of funding one pavillion (gazebo) and are well on our way to funding two! Ultimately, we would like to reach a goal of funding a third pavillion ($5,000 USD) and the central treatment building ($29,000 USD).

The addiction center is partially constructed in Dassa, Benin. New construction on the pavillions has not started yet, but will start soon. It is not cost effective for Gregoire Ahongbonon, the founder of Association Saint Camille, to hire a crew only for the pavillions. We are expecting an influx of funding from our Canadian and European partners within the next few months and, in combination with GlobalGiving donations, will cover the entire cost of finishing the center.

In preparation for opening, I have consulted with several psychiatric addiction experts. We will be prepared to offer state of the art treatment for this special population. Five nursing students from Association Saint Camille are currently in training at the School of Public Health in Burkina Faso. Gregoire's daughter, a physician, has completed her psychiatry training in Burkina Faso and has joined her father in this important mission. They continue to find people in chains, unhoused, and untreated so the work is far from over. Expanding the local expertise is critical.

These are exciting developments and we will continue to share our progress with you. Thanks again for joining us in bringing dignity and treatment to the mentally ill and addiction population in French West Africa.

Links:

For more information and contact email

Attachments:

DassaCenterBuildingPlan1.pdf (PDF)

4 Attachments

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