After years of planning and months of preparation, the time has finally come. GPIH has officially broken ground on our medical center in Togo! Within just a few months, we will be able to provide medical care to THOUSANDS of people in the Zio District of the country.
The Planning
GPIH started building medical centers throughout Mali starting as early as 2011. These medical centers have provided health care to hundreds of thousands of people in the region, and are 100% sustainable. In 2015, GPIH was asked to replicate their business model for these health centers in Togo. The NGO Compassion came alongside our organization to select an underserved region in the country and provide in country connections to build and run the medical center.
Since selecting the Zio District, which is 60km from the capital, GPIH has sent over several teams to create a strong relationship based on trust with the leaders in the region. By sending medical students to provide basic medical care and collect base data for the community, GPIH was excited to build a system of medical centers that will be critical for the health of the Togolese within the community.
Our in-country staff, the MacLeans moved from Mali to Togo to help with the planning of the medical center. They also helped establish the medical committee which would oversee all the construction plans for the medical center as well as the guest house which will house visiting doctors.
The Preparation
The first thing the GPIH team had to do was obtain the land for the health center. This land was graciously donated by the president of Compassion because he could see the need was so great within the community. Next, the GPIH team built two water wells that would supply clean water to the medical center and the community near the medical center. Then, the GPIH built a wall to surround the area for the health center. This will prevent any livestock or wildlife from trekking through the center. Finally, a road and bridge were built in order to safely access the health center.
The Medical Center
With all the preparation done on the medical center, it was officially time for the team to break ground on the site! On January 13, after 5 years of planning and preparing, the construction team started to get to work!
In just a few short months, the center and the guest house will be finished! This medical center will then provide medical care to thousands in the region! Within just a few months, GPIH will provide hope to Togo!