2024 Annual Report
A Note from Leadership
Build Health International’s mission is to improve access to and build capacity for dignified, affordable, and high-quality healthcare infrastructure in resource-constrained settings around the world.
In January 2024, Build Health International celebrated its tenth birthday as a founded organization. In the ten years after the construction of our first project in Haiti, the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, many things have changed. However, our vision–which is to build the foundation for global health equity in resource-constrained environments across the world–remains constant. Every day, BHI’s team of architects, engineers, construction managers, global health experts, and leaders redefine what dignified and high-quality healthcare infrastructure could and should look like within these contexts.
Ten years later, while BHI has expanded to dozens of more countries, its origin country, Haiti, faces an unknown future. Yet, despite political insecurity, electrical outages, scheduling delays, supply chain disruptions, and many more obstacles, BHI and Haiti persist. We are committed to Haiti, and we remain dedicated to strengthening infrastructure there.
This year’s annual report is a reflection of progress in times of uncertainty around the world. Designing and building high-quality, dignified, and affordable healthcare infrastructure can take many forms. Perhaps it is a team of biomedical engineers and global health experts training hospital workforces throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Or thinking creatively about how to ship construction materials to Haiti. Maybe it is even repurposing commercial technology for the sake of social justice, sustainably strengthening healthcare systems and fortifying partnerships along the way.
When the world has deemed so much of what we do impossible, we will continue forward. In partnership–and with determination–we will build health equity, one project at a time. From Haiti to Sierra Leone to Rwanda, we are in this together.
With gratitude,
The BHI Leadership Team
Eric Buckley, Director of Oxygen Engineering
Gerard Georges, Director of Architecture
Jim Ansara, Co-Founder and Managing Director
Laura Roaen, Human Resources Specialist and Office Manager
Omar Hernandez, Deputy Director of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction
Sarah Sceery, Deputy Director of Partnerships and Administration
Year in Review
July 2023
Construction crews at the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) in Sierra Leone lay down 100% of the concrete foundation for the birthing center, marking a major milestone for the project.
August 2023
In partnership with the Leo Project, the Caitlin O'Hara Community Health Clinic (the Health Clinic) prepares to open its doors to the public in Nanyuki, Kenya.
September 2023
“It is here where we will give birth.” The Guardian publishes a story on the women workforce in Koidu, Sierra Leone.
October 2023
At the DroneDeploy Conference in Denver, BHI wins the 2023 DroneDeploy Community & Workforce Development Award, with Director of Architecture Gerard Georges providing the keynote speech.
November 2023
BHI’s Haitian team undertakes the third iteration of a solar installation at the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, producing between 4 and 5 MW of power per day for the facility and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in diesel fuel and carbon costs annually.
December 2023
In collaboration with the Solutions Storytelling Project and the Skoll Foundation, the publication of the short film, Kumpala (Inhale) chronicles the need for biomedical training and capacity building in East Africa.
January 2024
Members of the BHI Biomedical Engineering and Medical Oxygen team convene in Nairobi, Kenya to draft a strategic plan to provide advanced biomedical training capacity through the Global Fund-supported Project BOXER.
February 2024
BHI hosts an open house for its new warehouse facility in Gloucester, Massachusetts, beginning a new chapter of logistic management and supply chain services to deliver construction materials, medical supplies, and other materials around the world.
March 2024
BHI submits the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) Campus Development Plan located in the emerging medical city of Masaka, Rwanda, which will provide a new education and research campus for graduate studies in medicine.
April 2024
BHI launches the first version of its “How We BIM” document, a roadmap for leveraging engineering tools, technologies, and key considerations for designing healthcare infrastructure in low-resource settings.
May 2024
With the support of Matterport and Autodesk technology, BHI uses the Autodesk Construction Cloud integration with master planning for a neonatal intensive care unit and maternity ward expansion in Uganda.
June 2024
In Ede, Nigeria, the second phase of substantial construction progresses forward at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease (ACEGID), an eight-building project dedicated to scientific collaboration and research.
Strategic Planning and Impact
This year, Build Health International team members, board members, and leadership convened to continue work on strategic planning initiatives. The following key priorities have emerged from these meetings and underline our mission to enable affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare infrastructure.
01
Review and clarify the mission, and define what success means for BHI both short- and long-term.
02
Create clear, present, and evolving organizational priorities along with goals that are driven by and hold true to the mission.
03
Build, sustain, and expand the capacity of a diverse international team that aligns with BHI’s mission and goals, placing an emphasis on development, training, and knowledge transfer.
04
Strengthen communication across the organization that builds a culture of community, accountability, adaptability, and trust.
Fiscal Year Impact
Staff Stories
Britta Johnston
Biomedical Engineer | USA
When Britta first joined BHI in February 2022, its oxygen engineering team had started to become a formalized and established workforce. BHI operated with agility and innovation which resonated with Britta’s desire to make sustainable impact. Learning from her African colleagues, Britta gained insights into effective technical problem-solving in low-resource settings.
Now a robust international team, BHI’s medical oxygen engineering is expanding their focus to a wider range of biomedical equipment. A pivotal trip to Uganda with Senior Biomedical Engineer, Tom Monaghan, allowed Britta to delve deeper into her field of interest. Together, Britta and Tom led biomedical training sessions for local engineers while learning more about the nuances of using medical devices in resource-constrained environments.
Claudel Pierre
Site Supervisor and Engineer | Haiti
What Claudel brings to the table is his unique tenacity for problem solving, especially centering cost-effectiveness during turbulent times. He emphasizes the need for negotiation and being mindful of the environmental conditions that may impact this project, including phenomena outside of his control.
Claudel began his career as a civil engineer in Haiti, working primarily on reference labs and oxygen management systems. His first project at BHI was a spinal cord unit (SCU) for St. Boniface Hospital, a facility in Fond-Des-Blancs. With his decade of experience building healthcare infrastructure, Claudel has done it all: worked on oxygen generators, solar panel installations, and other site needs. He is currently managing the on-the-ground construction of a 4,000 square foot, two-story warehouse facility in Hinche, Haiti. While many projects have slowed due to events, the Hinche warehouse is steadily moving along with Claudel’s determination, motivation, and creativity.
Jean Christian Singirankabo Ujeneza
Biomedical Engineer | Rwanda
As a biomedical engineer and certified electrician, Christian emphasizes the necessity of safety protocols, maintenance, and management of the systems that drive oxygen systems. For the past two years, he has supported dozens of hospital facilities throughout sub-Saharan Africa where he provides technical advisory and training for biomedical technicians, administrative staff, and other personnel who directly manage medical equipment and oxygen systems. Over 1,000 people have been trained in the past year alone.
While there is plenty of work remaining to strengthen oxygen systems, it is not done in isolation. Christian emphasizes how partnerships are central to capacity building and health system strengthening. BHI’s collaboration with major partners such as the Global Fund Project BOXER especially serves as an initiative to boost infrastructure for oxygen production and distribution and without interruption throughout the African continent.
Mikel Beaumont
Architectural Technician and BIM Specialist | Spain
As an Architectural Technician, Mikel frequently travels to assess and provide support construction sites, such as overseeing aspects of the Maternal Center of Excellence—a facility focused on improving maternal and child health in Sierra Leone—and the Gamal Clinical Dental Training Center expansion, which aims to enhance dental care education and services in Guinea. Mikel’s experiences highlight the significance of innovation and adaptability in addressing global health challenges. His frequent site visits not only validate the functionality of his designs but also allows him to gain a deeper understanding of local needs, ensuring that projects are both practical and impactful.
Mikel’s work is complex, yet essential. He often blends technical skills, personal connections, and construction administration principles, all that allow him to see firsthand the delivery of his designs. The site visits are not just about overseeing construction; they are a vital source of inspiration and motivation. With immense passion for global healthcare architecture, he overcomes project challenges with expertise and a genuine commitment to improving lives.
Fatlum "Lucky" Troshani
Senior Structural Engineer and BIM/Technology Coordinator | USA
In 2017, Lucky was using Revit, a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, to design the St. Boniface Hospital warehouse in Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti. As an intern for BHI, Lucky was leading a significant leap from the traditional AutoCAD drawings marked by the very first Revit project. Traveling to Haiti, Lucky saw the projects he had worked on behind a computer screen in reality.
As the BHI team grew, Lucky saw the importance of investing in strategic development through technology. Through the implementation of Pinnacle Series, a learning management software, Lucky’s instrumental support is streamlining training processes, though Lucky emphasizes that BHI’s support is what drives this process forward.
Special Project Report
Supply Chain and Logistics
Efficient supply chain and logistics are essential to building and sustaining healthcare facilities. That includes having a well-run warehouse to receive, store, and transport infrastructure materials, from door hardware to furnishings and biomedical equipment. In February 2024, BHI consolidated its previous warehouse locations in New Bedford, Beverly, and Plaistow to open a new Gloucester facility.
The 30,000 square foot space that stores and ships materials resourced from Boston-area hospitals, construction companies, and other industries to BHI’s many international project sites.
Visitors and partners in the Greater Boston area are always welcome.
Loading Dock
The central hub for all materials and equipment entering and exiting the BHI warehouse. Two bays are directly accessible from within the warehouse, along with an additional garage door.
Workshop
Utilized to construct all pallets, crates, and frames for materials and equipment bound for project sites worldwide from the BHI warehouse, outfitted with essential tools including a panel saw, table saws, nail guns, impact tools, miscellaneous tools to build crates and pallets, and drills.
Project Container Staging
Where all materials and equipment are designated for a project. This space includes five 40-foot shipping container spaces marked out to ensure that all materials and equipment fit seamlessly when containers arrive for loading.
The Medical Oxygen Office
A multipurpose space, the office functions as a hub and workshop for all oxygen team projects; provides a filming location for technical work on PSA plants and compressors; and serves as the assembly site for training tool kits that are subsequently dispatched to hospitals worldwide following BHI training sessions.
The Biomedical Office
Where all biomedical equipment donated to us is tested and verified to ensure proper functionality before being sent out to project sites around the world.
Long-Term Medical Storage
Where hospital equipment and machines are stored awaiting deployment to projects.
Projects
ACEGID
Redemeer's University | Ede, Nigeria
The African Centre for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, better known as ACEGID, is a leading research center for studying and controlling infectious diseases to prOn pevent the next pandemic. BHI partnered with ACEGID to undertake two major projects: first, to renovate its existing biosafety-3 lab (BSL-3). The second: to expand its campus with eight new buildings for research, teaching, and housing to support and train the next generation of African genomic scientists.
Gamal Dental Clinical
Training Center
Conakry, Guinea | Mercy Ships
Throughout the African continent, there is less than one dentist per 1,000 people. To address this disparity, BHI has partnered with Mercy Ships to design and construct the Gamal Dental Clinical Training Center, a two-story, 1,370 square meter clinic, at Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) in Conakry, Guinea. This facility, equipped with high-quality equipment and modern dental technology, will offer a robust training program for future dentists, as well as reliable clinical care for patients.
Hinche Warehouse
Hinche, Haiti | Zanmi Lasante and Partners In Health
The Hinche Warehouse, a two-story 4,000 square foot structure in Haiti, is being developed in collaboration with Zanmi Lasante (Partners In Health) to revolutionize BHI's material tracking and delivery for healthcare infrastructure throughout the country. Once complete, the warehouse will be maintained by the local community.
Biomedical Engineering
and Oxygen
Various Countries and Partners
BHI responded to the urgent need for medical oxygen during the COVID-19 pandemic, leveraging its expertise in PSA plants and medical oxygen systems to become a global leader in medical oxygen system strengthening. In collaboration with the Global Fund Project BOXER, the Wagner Foundation, and other key partners, BHI provides technical assistance, coordination, infrastructure upgrades, and comprehensive training to ensure sustainable access to medical oxygen in low-resource settings.
Maternal Center of Excellence
Koidu, Sierra Leone | Partners In Health Sierra Leone
In collaboration with Partners In Health Sierra Leone, BHI is constructing the Maternal Center of Excellence in Koidu, Sierra Leone to address the country's high maternal and child mortality. With a majority-women construction team, this facility will provide high-quality care to expectant mothers and newborn children throughout Sierra Leone and the neighboring countries of Liberia and Guinea.
Dorma Warehouse
Dorma, Sierra Leone | Partners In Health Sierra Leone
Spanning 34,000 feet, the Dorma Warehouse has an expected completion date of March 2025 and will further support the significant healthcare advancements in the region. The space will serve as a crucial logistics center for Partners In Health Sierra Leone and their network of healthcare facilities in the region, providing temperature- controlled storage space for key medical equipment, supplies, medicines, and other necessities, as well as office space for PIH logistics personnel.
Our Community
Thank you to the generosity and kindness of our global community.
Our supporters organized campaigns that raised awareness and critical funds to promote BHI’s impact. They became monthly donors, partners, and project sponsors; provided in-kind materials or software to enable our work; funded operating expenses; and stayed committed to building health equity.
We are grateful to everyone who made our work possible.
Vicky Reed
Executive Director
Partners In Health Sierra Leone
"BHI has gone above and beyond to ensure that MCOE is constructed to the highest standards found anywhere else in the world; but beyond that, the team has developed skilled professionals from laborers. It is inspiring to see the many young men and women at the site who have developed so much confidence because they are now able to earn a decent living because of the skills they have attained."
Dr. David Ugai
Mercy Ships Country Director, Guinea and Dental Director of Education and Investment
Mercy Ships
"BHI has been an instrumental partner throughout the development of the project. From the initial concept through detailed design and into construction, BHI has provided technical input, ensuring that this new state-of-the-art training facility at the Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry (UGANC) was developed to meet the dental training program's specific needs."
Jon Fielder
Co-Founder and Chief Executive
African Mission Healthcare
"BHI has been instrumental in providing technical capacity to hospital technicians, hospital managers as well as central level engineers. This partnership is key to ensuring quality and safe production as well as distribution of oxygen where it’s needed."
Stuart Meurer
CEO and President
Windover Construction
“Windover’s partnership with BHI has flourished over the past ten years and whether advising Jim and the BHI team on new construction systems or sending our staff to train tradespeople, we are always looking for ways to support their mission. As I have witnessed first-hand in Haiti, BHI is doing more than creating new spaces, they are creating hope. We are so proud to be a part of the BHI team and look forward to supporting their vital work in the years ahead.”
Dr. Philip Chukwuka Onyebujo
Chief Medical Director Genetic Immunity and BHI Board Member
"BHI has such an impressive track record of delivering responsive, sustainable solutions to strengthen infrastructure, services, and equitable access to high-quality healthcare in resource-limited settings while partnering with local communities, experts, and volunteers to improve healthcare outcomes particularly for girls, women, the elderly, and other vulnerable and marginalized populations. As a new BHI Board Member, I am thrilled to contribute to BHI’s work and external image."
Financial Summary
|
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES | JUNE 30, 2024 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
OPERATING REVENUES |
Including Released from Restrictions |
TOTAL |
|
Project Funding |
$14,905,322 |
$ 14,905,322 |
|
Grants* |
1,651,206 |
963,974 |
|
Donations |
288,624 |
288,624 |
|
Total Operating Revenues |
16,845,152 |
16,157,920 |
|
EXPENSES |
TOTAL |
|
|
Project Expenses |
14,746,074 |
14,746,074 |
|
General and Administrative |
1,222,363 |
1,222,363 |
|
Fundraising and Communications |
576,882 |
576,882 |
|
Total Expenses |
$ 16,545,319 |
$ 16,545,319 |
|
Change in Net Assets - Operations |
299,833 |
(387,399) |
|
Non-Operating Revenue |
692,155 |
692,155 |
|
Change in Net Assets |
991,988 |
304,756 |
|
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION |
JUNE 30, 2023 |
|
|
ASSETS |
TOTAL |
|
|
Current Assets |
||
|
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
2,280,590 |
|
|
Accounts Receivable |
559,472 |
|
|
Investments |
4,968,155 |
|
|
Other Current Assets |
21,056 |
|
|
Total Current Assets |
7,829,273 |
|
|
Operating Lease and Other Non-Current Assets |
1,371,439 |
|
|
Total Assets |
9,200,712 |
|
|
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS |
TOTAL |
|
|
Liabilities |
||
|
Accounts Payable |
226,855 |
|
|
Accrued Payroll |
17,188 |
|
|
Operating Lease Liability |
1,231,828 |
|
|
Deferred Revenue |
1,593,726 |
|
|
Total Liabilities |
3,069,608 |
|
|
Net Assets |
||
|
Without Donor Restrictions |
3,163,553 |
|
|
With Donor Restrictions |
2,967,551 |
|
|
Total Net Assets |
6,141,104 |
|
|
Total Liabilities and Equity |
9,200,712 |
|
|
*Includes grants released from restrictions in prior years. Preliminary FY24 Financial Statements |
||
Dr. Patricia Maguire Meservey (Chair)
Bob Broudo (Vice Chair)
Harry Dumay, Ph.D., MBA (Treasurer)
Jennifer Aliber (Clerk)
Karen Keating Ansara
Andrew DeFranza
Herby Duverné
Dr. Regan Marsh, MD, MPH
Mark Michalowski
Dr. Philip Onyebujoh
Father John Unni
Build Health International’s Board of Directors is composed of a diverse set of visionary and driven leaders committed to equity. Their professional experiences and expertise range from clinical medicine to education and philanthropy. We are grateful for their critical guidance and support, which is helping shape BHI’s future.
Building the Foundation for Global Health Eqiuty
Contact Us
Build Health International
100 Cummings Center
Suite 120B
Beverly, MA 01915
USA
buildhealthinternational.org
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BHI is grateful to Nadia Todres and others for the use of their photos throughout this report.
Thank you to BHI team members Emma Harkness, Gerard Georges, Renato Kasai, Rosanna Niosi, Shanon Heckethorn, and Uma Bhuju for their outstanding contributions and collaboration.
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