Many villages in Côte d'Ivoire are far away from the big cities and lack basic needs. Fresh water, reliable healthcare, food security—these are scarce resources in some places.

The village of Laoudi-ba in northeast Côte d’Ivoire—far from the bustle of the port city of Abidjan—is off the beaten path. Here in the rural regions of a country known for its chocolate and coffee, people live in communities that rely on each other. Even with differences, these communities work together to grow.

I have been to this village. I have met these people. I learned much from them. Yet I was disheartened when I saw so many sick from preventable diseases that are often the result of poor public health situations and programs.

While Dr. Bernard Kadio and I were in the village, we held a free clinic for the women and children of the town. We were so overwhelmed that we saw just children nonstop for an entire day and the line never got any shorter since more kept arriving. They had never been seen by a doctor before. Many had malaria, malnutrition, or dental issues. Almost everything we saw was preventable.

For this current project, we will go back to the village of Laoudi-ba with a team of medical professionals and lay personnel to treat disease and partner with the people to prevent some of these common ailments. Together, we can help communities like Laoudi-ba find better health.