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GRÉGOIRE with LÉONIE (ex-patient), HER DAUGHTER AND A PATIENT

email : info@amis-st-camille.org

web site : www.amis-st-camille.org

phone numbers : 450-565-8290, 450-582-3496, 514-334-6147

Look at :

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpIlZ6UMUZg - https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/12/health/the-chains-of-mental-

illness-in-west-africa.html

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L’Association Saint-Camille

The Association Saint-Camille-de-Lellis (usually named ‘’St-Camille’’) is an

African charity organization that provides services to the mentally ill. It was founded in Ivory Coast in 1991. In 2004, it was also implemented in Benin. According to the African understanding, a mental patient is possessed by the devil, bewitched. This is the way his delirium and his unusual, strange behavior are interpreted. Everyone stays away, nobody wants to touch the ill person for fear of being bewitched in his turn. In town, the ill person wanders, helpless and left alone; people move away, abandon him to his fate. In villages, he is too often chained to a tree at the boundary of the village and may remain there until his death.

Through the hard work of its founder, Grégoire Ahongbonon, surrounded by a team he has built around him, ten centers in Ivory Coast and six in Benin are currently operating. Patients are taken in charge by a Center where they are diagnosed by a psychiatrist, treated and surrounded by caregivers (former patients) who ensure medical care, affection and who help reestablish the patients self-esteem. After a few months and based on the patient personal evolution, he is directed to a Work Centre (or a Rehabilitation Center) in the community to learn an occupation and begin his integration into social life. When he is ready, he is then reinstated in his home community (village, neighborhood). An external network provides medication and ensures medical follow-up in the community. More than 70,000 men and women have benefited from the organization and have now been active in their community. The Association Saint-Camille relies only on donations to operate. No government funding is forthcoming. Les Amis de la Saint-Camille (Friends of…)

We are a Canadian Non-Governmental Organization formed by a small group of Quebecer volunteers (Les Amis de la Saint-Camille) committed since 2001 to support the work of our African partner. Through fundraising, research, sending medical equipment and medicine, presenting projects to international cooperation organizations, sending trainees and trainers, etc., we are trying to develop networks of mutual assistance and cooperation in countries where our partner gives services. Our membership: more than 1,800 persons.

Our current projects and our recent achievements are:

• Financing the construction of a Psychiatric Services Center in Cotonou (Tokan) • Contributing to the Relay-Centers project with Uzès Hospital in France • Agreement with CUSO and our African partner for volunteers • Financing the building of an hospital in Adjarra, Benin • Sending containers of medicine and medical equipment • Sending trainees and trainers in Benin and Ivory Coast • Increasing awareness in Quebec of the situation of mentally ill patients in Africa • Fundraising campaigns to meet the needs of our African partner

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In Benin (West Africa) The Association Saint-Camille has developed:

• An Accommodation Center in Cotonou (economic capital) • An Accommodation Center and a Work Centre in Avrankou, a town located in

the outskirts of Porto-Novo (south region) • An Accommodation Center in Bohicon (mid-south region) • A farm dedicated to agricultural learning and breeding in Agoïta (near Bohicon) • An Accommodation Center in Djougou (north region) • A Relay and Work Center in Calavi, Cotonou • A small hospital in Adjarra (near Porto-Novo) • More than 25 Relay Centers covering the country

New admissions in Accommodation Centers in 2015: 3,310

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In Ivory Coast (West Africa) The Association Saint-Camille has developed:

• An Accommodation Center and a Work Centre in Bondoukou • Two Accommodation Centers, one hospital and three Work Centres in Bouake,

the foundation place of the Association Saint-Camille in 1991 • In 2015, 1496 new patients were admitted to the Accommodation Centres

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In Togo (West Africa))

• An Accommodation Center at Kpalime (south-west region) • A small Services Center near Lome (capital city) • Five Relay Centers in north region

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Construction of Adjarra Hospital in Benin Brief presentation of the realized project:

One problem is that of ensuring the general and specific health care for the patients. As mentioned earlier, people with mental health problems are perceived as being possessed by the devil and by evil spirits. Nobody wants to touch them for fear of being bewitched. Sometimes, they are entrusted to ''prayer centers’’ belonging to sects in exchange for payment. In these centers, they are chained to a tree, deprived of food and water for days, and flogged, since it is believed that the devil will leave their body and therefore they will be cured.

Even in state hospitals these patients are abandoned, neglected or refused because they are feared. As solution, the Association Saint-Camille-de-Lellis built its own hospital in Bouake (Ivory Coast) in 1997. This hospital offers general practice services, ophthalmology with an optical shop, as well as dentistry services, a medical laboratory and a radiology service. This is where the residents from Saint-Camille centers in Ivory Coast receive the regular healthcare they require given their poor health condition. This healthcare is especially needed when they arrive. This hospital is also open to the entire population of the city at little or no cost if people cannot pay. In spite of this service to the greater community, the hospital remains self-sustainable. The Association Saint-Camille faces the same problem in Benin. Les Amis de la Saint-Camille (in Canada) mobilized themselves to build a day hospital on the Adjarra site, near Porto-Novo, and made sure that the first two years of operation gets off to a good start. A global project of $569,000.00. The hospital is operating since september 2013. General practice and maternity pavilions with the incinerator are in place. These complete the hospital’s site where the Ophthalmology Centre and Optical shop are located. Rooms in these pavilions are temporarily used for radiology, echography and pharmacy services. Dentist service is soon planned. Employees training (including three new nurses), operation costs during first two years, containers sending have been provided for in the budget. After the first two start up years, the hospital is now self-sufficient, just like Bouaké hospital in Ivory Coast. By the help of a partnership with Collaboration Santé Internationale (CSI, a NGO of Québec city), the Ministère des Relations Internationales of Québec government has given a $200,000.00 amount to the project. CSI was providing medicines, material for medical care and medical equipment for the first year of operations (estimated value $180,000.00). The balance ($189,000.00) was the business of ‘Les Amis de la Saint-Camille’: we got it. . The Association Saint-Camille benefits from a formal support of the incumbent authorities (mayor, Benin Ministry of Health, archbishop), but it is a non-financial support (mayor, however, donated a four acres land for the site). The Association relies only on donations, philanthropy and charity from individuals, religious communities,

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small groups of people supporting the organization in Canada (especially in Quebec), France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Luxemburg. And it works! All the work has been done by our African partner, the Association Saint-Camille-de- Lellis, who already had experience in construction (this is the 16th centre) and of implementation of similar services. Time allowed to the job has been respected as well as planned budget (even a light surplus!). Our Canadian contribution only had to support them in achieving this new service.. Two doctors and three midwives ensure the functioning of the hospital. These professionals, hired by the Association Saint-Camille, provide appropriate counselling, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up to patients, both for the general population and for the mental patients in the centers of Saint-Camille. The Benin government supports this project (without funding it) and has already put on paper that this hospital will be designated as the area hospital for the entire Adjarra community (a population of about 110,000). An average of 700 patients monthly used services. Since October 25th 2009, the Ophthalmology Centre has been operating on the hospital site. Ophthalmic equipment from the Centre de Santé et de Services Sociaux (‘’health and social services center’’) in Rimouski, Quebec was sent. This material is out of date in Quebec but valuable there. The establishment of this service along with the optical shop, echography and radiology are important funding sources for the hospital. An optical technician was trained and cuts glass. A Beninese nurse specialized in ophthalmology directs the service. Cataract surgery is planned.

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Needs

• Psychiatric medicines for a one year patient cost approximately $40,00. The Saint-Camille needs $400,000.00 a year for the medicines to buy.

• Sending a container of medical equipment and medicines to Benin through Collaboration Santé Internationale (‘’International Health Cooperation’’) in Quebec: $ 11,000.00

• Buying a 50 kg-rice bag : $30.00

• Buying, planting and maintaining an oil palm at Agoïta farm: $20.00

• Training of a nursing student during a year in Burkina Faso (courses,

accommodation): $2,500.00 All donation cheques are payable to ‘’Les Amis de la Saint-Camille’’ and should be sent to the following address: “256, Larochelle, Repentigny, Québec – J6A 1K9). It is also possible to make a donation by credit card or monthly automatic transfer (check our website and look for the ‘’Faire un don’’- to do a donation - icon, or call 450-565-8290 to get the donation form). A tax receipt for Canadian donator will be issued for any donation of $10.00 or more. Our website: www.amis-st-camille.org

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Who are we? More than 1800 Friends in Canada (especially in Quebec) receive three times a year a communication from the Board of Trustees of Friends of Saint-Camille. At one time or another, they have brought an interest, a contribution, a support to this African cause. About ten people form the core group that is particularly active in different roles. All are volunteers; most of them are retired and therefore have time. All donations are sent directly to Benin and Ivory Coast (100%). Minor transportation and phone expenses are part of their voluntary commitment. Every person going to stay at the Saint-Camille (the same for the administrators) have to pay their airplane ticket and accommodation expenses. And who are board members of ‘Les Amis’?

• Jean-Paul Cyr (President): retired psycho-educator, former middle manager in the social services network, stays in Ivory Coast and in Benin (1970-72, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) - 450-565-8290

• Marie-José Filion (Vice-President): retired occupational therapist, stays in different developing countries including Benin (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) -514-334-6147

• Jacqueline Gingras (Secretary): former investment broker, career in the financial market and administration analyst. - 450-565-8290

• Richard Strzelec (Treasurer): former school director, stays in Benin, Togo, Burundi and in Cameroun (2009, 2011, 2014) – 450-582-3496

• Sylvain Ratel (Administrator): manager in Quebec mental services, stay in Benin (2009) – 450-589-9599

• Catherine Dion (Administrator): communication specialist and media relation – 514-235-4036

• Toni Renow (Administrator) : Business woman working in local, national and international affairs - 438-884-8841

The action of Les Amis de la Saint-Camille results in developing a network of people, acquaintances and organizations in Canada, who are able to provide three types of resources to our African partner:

• Human: trainees, professional support, on-site training, cooperation • Material: medical and nursing equipment, medicines, construction of centres,

wells, etc. ... • financial: purchase of medicines, construction projects, payment for training,

food for patients (waiting for food self-sufficiency) …

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OUR ACTUAL FILES : Here is a brief look-out to our projects and actions that we are presently occurring, hoping a contribution for the improvement services of patients: 1.- Medicines: St-Camille NGO is victim of his success. More patients are treated more medication budget is increasing (most of the recovered people must continue their medication otherwise they will fall back to the beginning). Approximately 25,000 people have been treated by Saint-Camille since its foundation in Benin 2014. Most of these people are poor, so St-Camille sells them medications at very low cost. St-Camille has to find financial resources to cover this fact and it is becoming a monster for the organisation. The cost of medications for ONE PERSON is approximately 40.00$ a year. The annual budget of this item is around 400,000.00$. 2.- CUSO: An agreement of 5 years is going on with this important Canadian NGO. Volunteers bring their expertise and experience to Saint-Camille in order to more qualify actual services and answer to needs noted by our African partner. Their mandate is set for a one year stay, establishing their knowledge, recruiting susceptible replacements before they leave and instructing them to assure continuity. Volunteers are actually in Benin with their resources as follow: human and administration resources, entrepreneurship, occupational therapy and psychoeducator. This is a 500,000$ project. Les Amis de la Saint-Camille has endorse 10,000$ yearly for this project. 3.- Relay-centers: Some Psychiatrists from UZES Hospital in France are leading a 40 Relay-centers project to cover the country by using health centers already in place. Dr. Benoit Des Roches, psychiatrist from Québec and “ami de la St-Camille”, is concerned with this work. They plan to train nurses actually working in those health centers to do the follow-up for patients in their region after they have been treated in one of the four accommodation centers through the country, a follow-up for medication and counseling. St-Camille support the staff, bring them medication and return back with heavy patients to the nearest accommodation center. This network also permit the screening of patients needing services so they could be taken in charge before aggravation of disease and avoid chronicity. At 2016, twenty-nine of these centers are active. Due to this realization, it is easy to anticipate the explosion of the needed for medications such as written before so the costs. On next page are pictures of Saint-Camille centers and actions with a map of services in Benin

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The maternity pavilion of Adjarra hospital The childbirth room

Dr. Kpoffon examining a patient New Psychiatric Center at Cotonou

Patient in Avrankou center Palm trees at Agoïta farm

At the bakery of Dambodgi The front yard of Avrankou center

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Services provided by NGO Saint-Camille in Benin

CR : Relay Centers december 2016