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Objective
This endowment fund is aimed at providing ongoing financial support for continuing medical, public health and administrative education for employees and potential employees of Bon Berger clinic in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Focus:
Bon Berger is a primary care center founded and managed by two Congolese doctors, Pierre and Delphin, offering higher quality care to one of the poorer neighborhoods of Kinshasa, Dr Congo. Their services include primary care, laboratory, maternity, simple surgery, nutrition, public health and other social programs aimed at improving the lives of the poor in the neighborhood of Camp Luka. They employ about 15 medical staff and a number of volunteers. |
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Camp Luka is a community of 120,000 situated in a city of over 10 million inhabitants. It is isolated by 2 streams that border it on each side requiring most goods to be transported in by foot. The lack of access to basic community healthcare has resulted high mortality rates particularly for children under 5 years old. Education is inaccessible and children are largely illiterate with no marketable skills. As they get older they are forced into crime, drugs and prostitution to make a living. Inadequate electricity and water make economic advancement a challenge resulting in a high unemployment rate
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The objectives of Bon Berger are as follows:
(1) affordable and accessible healthcare; (2) a sufficiently equipped clinic; (3) a qualified staff and; (4) to witness Christ through their actions. Bon Berger operates on the resources provided by the community. Many can't afford the fees but the clinic is committed to treat them anyways. This presents a challenge limiting the clinic's capacity to stock medicine and supply. The staff themselves are from the surrounding community and therefore have no other sources of income. Nevertheless, these challenges are accepted by the staff believing that community transformation will occur through their holistic approach with the strategic help of the global community. |
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Management:
MECDECO is a Congolese non-profit savings and micro-credit organization founded five years ago. They are partnered with a UN organization called PNUD which offers equipment and training and by the national microcredit association offering training and some financial assistance. Members are eligible for loans of up to $500 depending on the risk. The average loan is $100. They have 1450 members over three sites and at least as many people waiting to join. One of the sites is located across from Bon Berger clinic. The Bon Berger savings and credit program offers three services to the community. (1) Training. Two agents are employed to go out into the community and help members manage their affairs. (2) Credit. There are 128 members who benefit from Bon Berger loans totaling about $28,000. They have up to 6 months to pay back their loans. The interest is 5% per month. This is compared to the local banks which charge 10% and offer no training or couching. (3) Savings. Members can set up a short term saving account where they save and withdraw money on a daily basis. Almost 400 members use this program in order to build their business up. They also provide long term saving at 1.5% per month. Here the clients are required to save at least $5 for four months. There are 70 members using this program. Bon Berger has had a four year experience with an endowment fund. In 2010 a $10,000 endowment fund was initiated. This fund continues to pay Bon Berger clinic $150 per month. Strategy:
The Warren Memorial fund will be setup with IMHA. IMHA will offer a tax receipt to those who wish to keep on donating to the fund. IMHA presently does not charge for this service. Donations using VISA or credit cards, however, will be charged 2.5%. The money donated will be sent to the Bon Berger clinic through a Kinshasa bank. Fees for this transaction are about 1.5% of the funds transferred. Bon Berger will then retrieve this money and place it in their savings and credit outlet which in turn is operated by MECDECO. The account at credit and saving will also be called the Dr Warren Froese Memorial fund. Interest earned on the fund will not be added back into the account at the savings and credit. Instead, it will go into a separate account in a Kinshasa bank (name of bank TBA). This account will be accessible online by the Warren Froese Memorial fund board of which there must be a representative of IMHA. Bon Berger will not be able to retrieve these funds without co-signing and/or written permission from the board. The reason why they are retrieving funds and a report on how they used the funds will also need to be provided. Projection:
Presently Bon Berger spends $3000/year of donated funds on ongoing education and they would like to provide more. This fund will provide $1800/year per $10,000 donated. In addition, the impact of the Bon Berger saving and credit operation is constrained by the limited savings in the community. This fund will provide further savings which will help meet their demand for credit. Increased economy in the community ultimately means more resources for Bon Berger as the clinic survives on what the local people can pay |
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Warren Froese Bio
Warren Froese was a man of deep conviction and passion. He had a strong faith and love for God, love for his family and friends. There was a dedication and care that went into his work as an orthopedic surgeon and whatever he put his hand to. He lived life to the fullest until his passing on Oct 17, 2015 due to cancer.
Born in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1961 to George and Verna Froese, he spent his early years residing in numerous cities until his teen years when the family returned to Winnipeg. He attended MBCI during high school where he met his future wife Sandy Derksen. Attending Capernwray Bible School in Holsbybrunn Sweden, Warren’s personal faith in God grew and was strengthened in life impacting ways.
Sandy and Warren wed in 1983, the same year Warren began his medical school training at University of Manitoba. Orthopedic residency in Winnipeg was followed by a Knee and Shoulder Fellowship at the University of Western Ontario under Dr Peter Fowler. During these years Warren and Sandy were blessed with their four children, Matthew, Daniel, Sarah and James. Warren went on to build a successful practice as an orthopedic surgeon at the Pan Am Sports Medicine Clinic in Winnipeg.
In 1986, during Warren’s fourth year of study in med school, he and Sandy spent two months in southern Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The experience of working in the field hospital in Kajiji, planted the beginnings of a lifelong heart and care for the people of this country. In the last 10 years he has been a part of IMHA working with the Bon Berger Clinic in Kinshasa to mentor and assist in its development. His heart was to equip and encourage local Congolese doctors to provide in the medical care of those in the surrounding area.
In the spring of 2014, Doctors Manitoba interviewed Warren and created an excellent video highlighting his work with Bon Berger. For this firsthand account please go to the Doctors Manitoba website or to You Tube and search Warren Froese. Warren’s interests and involvements were wide and varied. He and Sandy were a part of the founding group starting The Meeting Place church in Wpg in 1991. His love of trains and rail travel included participation in the North American Rail Car Association, of which he was a board member and president for numerous years. Time at the lake with family was always enjoyed as well as local and international travel. He loved the adventure of life.
Warren was devoted to his wife and children and worked hard to balance the busy life of a physician and family man. His strong faith in Christ guided his life and motivated him to excellence in all aspects of his days until his passing.
Warren Froese was a man of deep conviction and passion. He had a strong faith and love for God, love for his family and friends. There was a dedication and care that went into his work as an orthopedic surgeon and whatever he put his hand to. He lived life to the fullest until his passing on Oct 17, 2015 due to cancer.
Born in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1961 to George and Verna Froese, he spent his early years residing in numerous cities until his teen years when the family returned to Winnipeg. He attended MBCI during high school where he met his future wife Sandy Derksen. Attending Capernwray Bible School in Holsbybrunn Sweden, Warren’s personal faith in God grew and was strengthened in life impacting ways.
Sandy and Warren wed in 1983, the same year Warren began his medical school training at University of Manitoba. Orthopedic residency in Winnipeg was followed by a Knee and Shoulder Fellowship at the University of Western Ontario under Dr Peter Fowler. During these years Warren and Sandy were blessed with their four children, Matthew, Daniel, Sarah and James. Warren went on to build a successful practice as an orthopedic surgeon at the Pan Am Sports Medicine Clinic in Winnipeg.
In 1986, during Warren’s fourth year of study in med school, he and Sandy spent two months in southern Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The experience of working in the field hospital in Kajiji, planted the beginnings of a lifelong heart and care for the people of this country. In the last 10 years he has been a part of IMHA working with the Bon Berger Clinic in Kinshasa to mentor and assist in its development. His heart was to equip and encourage local Congolese doctors to provide in the medical care of those in the surrounding area.
In the spring of 2014, Doctors Manitoba interviewed Warren and created an excellent video highlighting his work with Bon Berger. For this firsthand account please go to the Doctors Manitoba website or to You Tube and search Warren Froese. Warren’s interests and involvements were wide and varied. He and Sandy were a part of the founding group starting The Meeting Place church in Wpg in 1991. His love of trains and rail travel included participation in the North American Rail Car Association, of which he was a board member and president for numerous years. Time at the lake with family was always enjoyed as well as local and international travel. He loved the adventure of life.
Warren was devoted to his wife and children and worked hard to balance the busy life of a physician and family man. His strong faith in Christ guided his life and motivated him to excellence in all aspects of his days until his passing.