Our Heritage

Our History

Discover the history of the Saint-Camille-de-Lellis Association, from its creation in 1991 in Ivory Coast to its expansion in Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.

Our Mission

Break chains, restore dignity

In West Africa, people suffering from mental disorders are often victims of stigmatization and abandonment. Considered "possessed" or "bewitched", they are frequently chained, rejected by their family and left to their own devices.

Chains

Chained to trees, sometimes for years, until death.

Abandonment

Rejected by their family, their community, left to their own devices in the street.

Fear

No one dares touch them, for fear of being contaminated by the "spell".

The Saint-Camille-de-Lellis Association breaks with these practices. Our mission is to:

  • Release chained and abandoned people
  • Treat with appropriate medical care
  • Reintegrate through professional training and community monitoring

Thanks to the constant commitment of Grégoire Ahongbonon and his team, each person welcomed benefits from structured care, starting with a diagnosis carried out by a psychiatrist or a specialized nurse. Appropriate drug treatment is then put in place, in a humane and caring framework, provided largely by former cured patients, who have become participants in the care process.

For his remarkable humanitarian action, Grégoire Ahongbonon received several international distinctions.

Our Approach

A unique model in Africa

People received in the treatment centers receive adapted care according to a course structured in 4 stages:

1
Reception & Diagnosis

Medical examination by a psychiatrist or specialist nurse

2
Treatment & Care

Medication and support by trained caregivers

3
Professional Training

Learning a trade at the training center

4
Social Reintegration

Return to the community with medical follow-up in a dispensary

120-300 people per day

Depending on the center's capacity and demand, it can accommodate 120 to 300 people per day. After a few months, depending on their progress, patients can be referred to a vocational training center to learn a trade in order to be reintegrated into society.

A network of dispensaries then ensures access to their drug treatment and medical monitoring close to their home.

Our Impact

Plus de 130 000 vies transformées

Since its creation in 1983, the Saint-Camille-de-Lellis Association has had a considerable impact on mental health care in West Africa.

A proven model

It is estimated that in 2022, more than 130,000 men and women benefited from one or more of our services. Most of them are now active members of society.

12 healthcare centers

Distributed across 4 countries: 3 in Côte d'Ivoire, 5 in Benin, 3 in Togo and 1 in Burkina Faso.

Reintegration centers

A complementary system with 3 centers in Côte d'Ivoire, 3 in Benin and 1 in Burkina Faso, promoting a return to an independent and dignified life.

Thousands of people released

From chains and abandonment

A network of religious workers in all departments

To facilitate access to healthcare

Hundreds of families reunited

Through awareness campaigns

A reproducible model

Inspiring other initiatives across Africa

The Association's holistic approach, combining medical care, vocational training and spiritual support, has proven effective in breaking the cycle of exclusion and restoring dignity and hope to thousands of people.

Our Values

Ce qui nous guide au quotidien

The actions of the Saint-Camille-de-Lellis Association are based on fundamental values that guide each of our decisions and actions:

Welcoming

Restoring self-esteem and respect for every individual, regardless of their condition.

Compassion

Welcoming each person with kindness, without judgment or discrimination.

Trust

Working together, with and for vulnerable people and their families.

Listening

We place attentive and compassionate listening at the heart of our commitment in order to welcome each person with respect, understand their needs, and provide appropriate support.

Patience

Providing quality care based on modern psychiatric science while demonstrating patience and self-control in all circumstances, even in the face of patient aggression.

These values are embodied every day by our caregiving teams who give the best of themselves to serve the most vulnerable.

Timeline

A story written every day

Birth of the Association in Ivory Coast

The Saint-Camille-de-Lellis Association was created in Ivory Coast in 1983 with the mission of providing assistance, dignity and hope to the most vulnerable people, in particular those suffering from psychological disorders and living in social exclusion. Inspired by values ​​of solidarity, humanism and compassion, the association has worked since its creation to promote the reception, support and reintegration of abandoned or marginalized people.

Start of reception of patients at the Center

In 1991, the center began to welcome patients, marking an important step in the development of its social and humanitarian activities. Through appropriate care, the center is committed to offering patients a secure environment, human monitoring and care aimed at their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Birth of the “Oasis of Love” Fraternity

Creation of the Fraternity of Saint Camille de Lellis “Oasis of Love” by Grégoire Ahongbonon and Alice Some, bringing together people dedicated to the service of people suffering from mental illnesses.

Expansion in Benin

The Association is expanding its services in Benin, opening its first treatment and rehabilitation centers in Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi.

Arrival in Togo

New expansion in Togo with the opening of centers in Lomé and Sokodé, strengthening the presence of the Association in West Africa.

130,000 lives transformed

Results of more than 130,000 people supported, treated and reintegrated into their communities thanks to 12 active centers in 3 countries.

Discover our care centers
Our Achievements

Numbers that speak for themselves

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Accompanied people
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Inpatient psychiatric centers
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Years of action

You too can write the next chapter of our story

Join us in our mission and help build a better future for people suffering from mental disorders.

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