What is the Yonkofa project?
The Yonkofa Project builds clinics in rural areas of Ghana, which are then staffed with full-time, local healthcare providers. It supports the work of Ghanaian medical professionals by providing them with the necessary facilities, equipment, and supplies to deliver quality medical care in remote locations.
How EcoWater SoCal Helps:
In 2015, John Yanchewski, Co-Founder of EcoWater Systems of Southern California (EcoWater SoCal), became ill with terminal cancer. He desired to do something bigger to impact lives around the world and leave a legacy. That’s when the partnership between EcoWater SoCal and Yonkofa Project began.
The first project EcoWater SoCal sponsored was for a Water Tower that would serve the Yiwabra Clinic and the surrounding villages. EcoWater SoCal also conducted extensive water testing in the surrounding rivers, highlighting the need for drilled wells to provide clean water.
In subsequent years, EcoWater SoCal has drilled six clinics and community wells, and built several water towers. In 2015, EcoWater SoCal and EcoWater Corporate funded the purchase of a prefabricated building that became the clinic in Kordjour, Ghana.
EcoWater SoCal has assisted in numerous campaigns over the past ten years, purchasing incubators and monitors for a new Yonkofa Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and other life-saving equipment.
Now, in 2025, we are honored to sponsor the construction of a nurses’ residential area above a village clinic in Elubo-Nungua, Ghana. Providing on-site living quarters is essential for daily operations since the Yonkofa Project clinics are located in remote rural areas, making it impossible for nurses to commute.
Where are the village clinics?
Yonkofa Project sends medical supplies and equipment to several countries, but only builds clinics in Ghana, where they have developed a strong community of local volunteers.
They primarily build in the southwest corner of Ghana, in two hospital districts, Jomoro and Aowin, which have a combined population of approximately 400,000 and an area the size of Rhode Island. Both these districts have gone years at a time with only one physician/surgeon serving the entire district.
Yonkofa Project has 11 village clinic sites and specialty centers in those two districts, including Tiny Clinics. They have also revamped the district hospitals and regularly supply them; one of the hospitals reported that Yonkofa provides 70% of their consumables and 80% of their equipment.
Since the Yonkofa Clinics are staffed with nurses, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants, the district hospitals serve as the backup hospitals for critical cases. Yonkofa has three Tiny Clinics under construction in two additional districts.
Do you have a clinic near Nzulezu?
- https://www.facebook.com/FestacAfrica/videos/nzulezu-also-known-as-nzulezo-is-a-remarkable-stilt-village-located-near-beyin-i/635100049553160/
- Geography: The district is bordered by the Nini River to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. To its east is the Nzema East District, and to the west is Côte d'Ivoire. The capital of the municipality is Half Assini.
- Healthcare Infrastructure: The Jomoro district is further divided into six sub-districts for health administration and service delivery. It contains 37 health facilities, including one district hospital.
- Key Health Centers: Major health facilities in the region include the Fumbisi Health Centre and the Bolgatanga Central Hospital.
Yonkofa Works With the Communities
Ghana has a concept called Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound. The village constructs a clinic and provides housing for the nurses. The government then staffs and supplies the clinic. The Yonkofa Project initiates its process by building a clinic.
The clinic is built on land donated by the community, and the finished project is donated to the government, which staffs it. Yonkofa Project continues to supply the clinics and provide additional training to the staff.
Education to Develop Medical Professionals
Building new clinics creates even more demand for nurses, prompting the creation of the Yonkofa Project Scholarship Program, which supports the education of medical providers. Scholarship recipients are bonded for a certain number of years to work in the Yonkofa Project’s districts.
This year, Yonkofa will celebrate the first three graduates of this program, two nurses and a physician’s assistant! Yonkofa Project will have its first physician candidate starting this year.
Education Enrichment Program
Yonkofa Project has also realized that, without help, children from the remote villages will never be able to serve in their own communities, because they do not have sufficient science training or English reading comprehension to pass the entrance exams for college.
So, Yonkofa put together a group of education volunteers who are developing enrichment programs in these rural schools to meet the needs.
Commonly Asked Questions (FAQ)
1What is the purpose of Yonkofa?
Yonkofa operates medical centers and clinics in the rural areas of Ghana. Staffing them with full-time, local healthcare providers is the only real solution to the medical care needs of this region. Yonkofa supports the work of Ghanaian medical professionals, giving them a safe place to provide care and shipping much needed medical supplies.
2How can I help?
Any donation, no matter how small is much appreciated. The donations link is listed above and on the home page.
3Who/ where does my money go towards?
Your money goes towards ensuring medical professionals in Ghana have safe and innovative equipment to give patient’s optimal care.
4What challenges does Yonkofa face in delivering healthcare?
Yonkofa faces numerous issues such as transporting medical supplies to remote areas, maintaining equipment, and ensuring clinics are staffed with trained professionals. Despite these obstacles, our commitment to providing quality healthcare remains steadfast, and your support helps us overcome these barriers.
5How can I stay updated on Yonkofa’s work?
You can stay informed about our work by following us on Instagram and Facebook, where we regularly share updates, stories, and milestones.
