help us finish the building!
When almost the entire village of Dumbo came together on February 7 to RAISE THE ROOF of our first Maternal Mini-Clinic in Elvis’ childhood home, it was our founder Elvis Ndansi’s dream come true. See Construction Report 01!
When they completed all four structures in a lightening 68 days, it was as exhilarating to all of us as it was unreal. No wonder there was singing and dancing!
We sincerely thank our donors
We also thank the local construction committee, the Shaa women who made all 10,000+ bricks and donated 4,000 of them, the skilled laborers from the village who worked tirelessly, and especially Randycase Longchi, the Senior Project Engineer & Technical Coordinator for overseeing the project so far.
We need internal and external drainage, a fence, the septic tank, plastering, floor tiling and ceiling work, doors, windows, roofing for walkways between buildings, painting and varnish for the wood. The borehole/storage tank, plumbing, solar panels and electrification will make the building ready for equipment and medical supplies.
TOTAL for finishing construction: $65,000
Once we open the doors to the mamas, the incidences of maternal and child mortality in Dumbo with go down more than 95%.
When women have access to antenatal care and safe deliveries, complications in pregnancy can be diagnosed, women will chose medically supervised delivery and childbirth won’t be a death sentence. The grim journey to the nearest hospital on 40km of unpaved roads will no longer be the only option when things go wrong.
That, in Dumbo, is every mother’s dream.
We raised THE ROOF of OUR MATERNAL MINI-CLINIC in 68 days!
February 7, 2026 was big day in Dumbo Village when everyone came together to RAISE THE ROOF for a custom, sustainable Maternal Mini-Clinic in our founder Elvis Ndansi’s childhood home in remote NW Cameroon. Women gathered to mix soil, sand and water to mold bricks that dry in the sun. Men came on mopeds to transport water and to collect sand and rocks for the foundation.
April 15, 2026 The Maternal Mini-Clinic stands proudly with roofs installed on all four of the buildings, expertly guided by the construction committee and built by the people of Dumbo!
Our sustainable design is customized for rural mothers and children.
Our mission to prevent tragic and unnecessary maternal and child deaths in rural Africa has forced us to address the scarcity of functioning health facilities. With 18+ years of taking care of mothers and babies, we have custom designed a prototype Maternal Mini-Clinic that can be economical to build in any Sub-Saharan village. A community-led project using local labor and materials.
It provides space for birthing, C-sections, pre- and postnatal care and other critical maternal healthcare services. The structure will be built with local labor, local materials, and supply its own electricity and water.
Ngum Gerald Dinse of Sodaces, an architectural & engineering company in Cameroon, created a the original blueprint. Sadie Dempsey, a Master of Architecture student at Columbia University of New York, Graduate School of Architecture optimized the original plan.
The final drawings were refined in Cameroon with medical input from board members Monica Shah and Nausheen Hakim. Meet the Construction Committee.
Inspired by village life
Like an African village, the central courtyard will be a traditional gathering place with patients using the open outdoor space for consultations, prenatal visits and education.
Floor plan, Unite for Health prototype Maternal Mini-clinic Model (MMM).
100% SUSTAINABle
Dumbo, like many villages, has no plumbing or electricity so our building will be self-sustaining. Lights, computers, and equipment will be powered by solar panels on the roof and the mini-clinic supplied with water from a hole bored into the ground and a solar-powered pump.
3-D exterior view, Unite for Health prototype Maternal Mini-Clinic – sustainable features and building materials.
Care for pregnant women, mothers and children
The design incorporates a prenatal sonogram room, birthing rooms, a post-birthing room, a surgery for C-sections, post-surgery recovery rooms for mothers and babies, and overnight accommodation.
It has a lab, a pharmacy, and rooms for consulting, vaccinations, patient check-in and waiting, plus bathrooms and storage. Out of respect for local customs, it incorporates a private room to treat the village leader.
Our CONNECTION RUNS DEEP
Our founder Elvis Ndansi and Unite for Health have a special relationship with the village of Dumbo in Misaje Subdivision in NW Cameroon. Elvis grew up there.
Thirty-five years ago, Elvis’ mother, a nurse’s aide, was the only trained medical professional in the village. She helped everyone as best she could and everyone called her ‘Docta’. There were disturbing levels of maternal and infant mortality then and sadly, nothing much has changed.
Our annual Shaa Festival (started in Misaje Subdivision in 2013) has earned Elvis the trust of the Shaa Women Unions, as well as the other civic leaders. The Shaa women helped galvanize close to 400 young women and mothers to participate in our Maternal & Child Health Programs. Many women have lost one or more children under the age of 5. There are many families without mothers. The losses are devastating.
our progress is swift
We raised the roof of our Maternal Mini-Clinic in 68 days thanks to the people of the village. It’s on our own plot of land in Dumbo, centrally located near the market, the church, and the mosque to make it easily accessible.
Our goal is to open the doors of this prototype as a model for other underserved communities in Cameroon and beyond, knowing we will immediately prevent women and children from dying. Access to prenatal care and safe deliveries are a proven recipe for success.
We are fundraising to finish the building, equip it and be fully operational in early 2027. Find out more or email us at info@unite4healthf.org
Thank you!
You can help us
GOLD FUNDER – FINISH Construction:
$180,000
The prototype could have a sign ‘Construction finishing donated by XXXX’.
SILVER FUNDER – YEAR 1 Equipment:
$115,000
Equipment donated by XXXX’ could be on a sign – as well as on stickers attached to equipment and furniture.
YEAR 1 MEDICAL + LAB Supplies & consumables:
$106,000
‘Medical and lab supplies donated by XXXX’ could be on a sign and on stickers attached to medical items given to patients.
TOTAL: $221,000
BRONZE FUNDER – YEAR 1 Staffing & Operations:
$42,000
To recruit medical and administrative staff, pay salaries, utilities, software and services. ‘Operations funded by XXXX’ could be on a sign.
PLATINUM FUNDER – Gold, Silver + Bronze combined
DIAMOND Funder – Other custom combinations
Please contact us at info@unite4healthf.org for more information.