Health Clinic

August  16, 2012 – The Bawa Health Initiative Board of Directors met and took two important decisions when they met. The first decision was to select a construction firm to begin the next phase of work on a primary health care clinic – adding the floors, walls and roof, installing windows and doors. The Board had three estimates for the construction work. The decision was made after a thorough review of the bids and discussion of recommendations from Dr. Blaise Dondji, our Co-Founder, Sylvain Foulefack, Coordinator in Cameroon, and other partners in BHI-Cameroon. The Board authorized Dr. Blaise Dondji to complete the contract negotiations while in Cameroon and construction was planned to begin as soon as possible after the start of the “dry season” in December or early January.

The second decision was embraced with equal enthusiasm. Dr. Dennis Richardson made a motion and the Board unanimously approved naming this new clinic, the Sophine Awounke Health Center, in honor and memory of Dr. Blaise Dondji’s mother, who died from complications following the birth of his younger sister because there was no accessible health care center in the village.  Her story has not only motivated her son’s contagious and passionate commitment to building a health center in his native village, but we know that her story is echoed in the stories of many other families in Bawa and neighboring villages. The Sophine Awounke Health Center will make a difference – empowering a partnership with Cameroonian
medical professionals, village leaders and families. Together we are building a more hopeful and healthy future.

Building a Healthy Future Together Timeline

The property for the Sophine Awounke Health Center, Nurse’s Residence and Health Education and Resource Center was given by the village.  BHI volunteers have used it as a place to pitch tents while working in Bawa and it has been a place for training Village Health Committees, and village celebrations.

• December 2007: BHI President Margaret Jay joined Co-Founders – Dr. Blaise Dondji and Dr. Dennis Richardson – along with village leaders and families for a ceremonial ground-breaking.
• January–April 2009: Groundwork and construction completed for the foundation footings for the three buildings of the health campus.
• December 2012: Construction of the Sophine Awounke Health Center began. 
• December 2015: Construction of the Health Center completed!
• December 4th, 2017: The Sophine Awounke Health Center was launched by a team of 16 physicians and nurses from Ellensburg, WA, Lacey, WA and Wallingford, CT.
• May 2018: Solar panels were installed at the Health Center.
• March 2020: A brand new 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser fully medicalized ambulance was received at the Health Center.
• April 2023 to February 2024: Renovation of the Health Center.

See the progress in pictures on our website (https://www.bawahealth.org/building-a-hospital/)

Thanks!

We are thankful for the generous support of donors across the country.  We are especially grateful for major gifts for the health center construction and equipment from:

• The Church of the Holy Trinity, Episcopal (Middletown, Connecticut)
• Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut Millennium Grant
• Mr. Philip Kelleher (Kelleher Ford, Ellensburg, Washington)
• Mr. Brian Stickney, Advantage Dirt Contractors, Inc, (Ellensburg, Washington)
• Rotary Club of Ellensburg, WA

Thank you to all our donors… your gifts to BHI make a difference!