Home > News > Wholesome Health Promotion (WHP) Celebrates Five Years of Impact in Cameroon

Visionaries are people who look beyond the ordinary to see the bigger extraordinary picture. Most often, it takes just a lone nut with a vision and that first follower for that vision to become a reality, and to grow beyond measure.

Wholesome Health Promotion (WHP) was officially incorporated in Chicago on December 28, 2016. Exactly five months later, on May 28, 2017, the not-for-profit organization held its first food safety workshop at Eta Palace Hotel in Buea. This was the beginning of a beautiful vision dedicated to impacting and bringing wholesome health education and support to rural and marginalized communities in Cameroon.

That first food safety workshop led to many more, including a second Food Safety workshop in Idenau, two Gestational Diabetes & Handwashing workshops in Buea and Limbe, donations of health equipment and materials to local health centres, and numerous health awareness campaigns, among others. These projects have had direct community impact over the years, which is why WHP celebrated its fifth anniversary in grand style.

WHP Covid-19 awareness billboard in Limbe

Following the success of the Tiko Cottage Hospital water project in 2021, WHP decided to carry out a bigger water project in the Buea Regional Hospital as part of activities commemorating its fifth anniversary. We all know how important water is to life and healthcare, unfortunately, climate change and chronic water shortages in many parts of Cameroon make it difficult for communities to have adequate water supply. WHP’s borehole and 10.000-litre water tank donation to the Buea Regional hospital is a critical and much-needed infrastructure that goes a long way to ensure wholesome healthcare to the hospital and the Buea community.

After months of planning, the unveiling ceremony that took place on Friday, December 9, 2022, was a beautiful moment to behold. Presided over by the Paramount Chief of Buea, HRH Esuka Endeley, and attended by a host of Fako Elites, the ceremony brought to the fore what a group of committed and dedicated individuals with the right vision and tools can do to bring about the change they wish to see in their communities.

WHP Founder, Terese Tande (center) cutting the ribbon for the Buea Regional Hospital water tank project. Assisted by WHP patron, Mrs. Rosaline Menga, and Dr. Mokake, Buea hospital Director.

The events which started on Friday continued into the weekend with a formal fifth anniversary gala at the Buea Mountain Hotel. The event was attended by the WHP Founder and CEO, Terese Tande, members of WHP team on the ground, and a host of special invitees who all celebrated the selfless and powerful hands driving the vision behind the scenes,

Terese Tande, in her fifth anniversary speech, reviewed the ground covered by WHP in the last five years, and paid homage to the donors who have been the backbone of the organization:

Although WHP was one individual’s idea, it would never have become a reality without the contributions of many other individuals in the Diaspora and in Cameroon who wholeheartedly embraced its vision and mission and became our volunteers. These individuals have shown that when there is transparency and accountability, and when the results are there for all to see, Cameroonians will unconditionally dedicate their time, expertise, and resources to help those who truly want to make their communities better.

She concluded by calling on all to join hands to improve our local communities: “Let each of us go forth and be a point of light that brightens out communities; Let each of us go forth and be the change we wish to see in our communities.”

WHP founder, Terese Tande, reading her 5th anniversary speech while WHP Goodwill Ambassador, Kwoh Elonge looks on.

It was an enlightening, formal but very cosy evening at the foot of the majestic Mount Fako, with lots of good food, fine wine, glamour, and excellent makossa music. The WHP team and guests couldn’t have ended five years of impact on a better note!

The WHP team looks forward to the vision that keeps growing bigger and brighter, buoyed by the amazing job done thus far, and confident in a future in which WHP will continue to impact people in a sustained and wholesome manner, one community at a time.

By Arrey Echi,
Publishing & Records Admin