ABOUT US

ICARE4US is a nonprofit organization founded and registered in Woodbridge VA, U.S.A in June 2019 with no religious or political affiliation.
The purpose of ICARE4US is to give back Human Dignity to vulnerable poor people primarily, to protect them, then to people who are facing mental disorders, about the awareness of Mental Health in our community, and to help reduce the stigmatization against mentally ill people.
Our goal is to contribute to the well-being of mentally ill people in the USA and mainly in Africa because they are more vulnerable due to poverty and cultural beliefs. Most Africa governments allocate almost no budget to mental health issues, which are given very low priority in health service policies. Due to wars, other illnesses as HIV and Ebola in addition to poverty in Africa, the need for mental health programs has been overlooked and underestimated. Each one of us can help reach that goal.

Our Vision

ICARE4US envisions an environment where all people affected by mental illness are sheltered, provided with medical assistance by a community that cares, with zero mentally ill people in the streets.

Our Mission

ICARE4US provides assistance, seminaries, conferences support and awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives, and mentally ill people can be less isolated and stigmatized.

Our Values

Hope: We believe in the possibility of streets free of mentally ill people, wellness and the reinsertion back in active life.
Inclusion: We embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.
Empowerment: We promote confidence, self-efficacy and service to our mission.
Compassion: We practice communication, respect, kindness and empathy.
Fairness: We fight for equality and openness.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At ICARE4US, we believe in diverse, inclusive volunteers regardless of gender, race, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, education, disability, veteran status or other dimension of diversity — feel valued and respected.

Board members

Anne-Marie Atse, U.S. Citizen , born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast ( Côte -D’Ivoire), a country located in West Africa. I

graduated from Towson University with an MBA in Finance. After working in the financial sector for

5 years and as an Operation Manager for 4 years in Maryland, USA, I moved back to Africa to pursue

my dream of working back home. I worked as a Consultant in the Ivory Coast Government as an

Economic Advisor, a Social Program Supervisor and an Economic Program Coordinator for 5 years.

During my stay in Africa, I noticed that mentally ill people were all over the streets, sometimes

without any clothes on. Mentally ill women were also at great risk and are often taken advantage of

and raped. After seeing this for some time I decided that I wanted to do something about the

situation regarding the mentally ill and care for them. I’m inviting you to help us care for those with

Mental Illness because it could be any one of us and we are all susceptible to having a mental illness so

it is important that we care and make a difference.

Name: Anne-Marie Atse

Founder and C.E.O

Dr André G. Komenan, and Ivorian-Born and citizen, is an Economist who retired from the African Development Bank (ADB, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) as Manager of Education and Social Sector operations covering most African countries. Before his tenure à the ADB, Dr Komenan served as Economist at the World Bank in Washington DC and before that as an associate professor at the National University of Côte d’Ivoire. He is a Stanford University graduate (PhD in Economics and M.Sc. in Statistical Computing).

His education and career have led him to enhance his sensitivity to social issues and especially the deep and widespread poverty of millions of people around the world and Africa particularly. He came to the strong conviction that the contribution of all to alleviate the fate of the poor and the destitute is the indispensable complement to State development policies. This is true throughout the world.

His involvement in the establishment of I Care for Us, his role as chair of the Board, and commitment to its missions are the illustration of this strong conviction.

Name: Dr. André Komenan

Co-Founder

President- Africa

Mathurin Gbetibouo is an Economist who retired after 28 years at The World Bank in Washington DC.

His association with I Care For US, and intimate commitment to its mission is in loving memory and

the honor of his mother, one of the very first midwives of Cote d’Ivoire who passed away in October 2014 at

the age of 92. Her life as a mother of ten children and a long career in the medical profession is a

testimony to the importance of family support, social acceptance, and non-stigmatization in the

management and caring for mental health patients.

Mathurin is a US permanent resident living in Maryland with his spouse Irene, a US citizen, close to their

six children and ten grandkids. He keeps a close tie with the rest of the family back in Cote d’Ivoire,

where he also runs a consulting business, MGecofor, and a cocoa farm in Petit-Danane.

Name: Mathurin Gbetibou

Co-Founder

Director of the Board

Kouoh Dorette, born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

I obtained my Doctorate in Medicine at The Abidjan Faculty of Medicine of Abidjan where I specialized in Gynecology-Obstetrics.

I moved to the private sector to practice my profession of gynecology and obstetrics in a popular district in the city of Abidjan called Yopougon, known for being home to a large low-income population, in order to help with this segment of the population with my skills.

Being sensitive to the plight of the most vulnerable, I joined the creation of the NGO "I CARE 4 US" which takes care of people with mental disabilities who have very little assistance and treatment. My goal is to work towards better care for these patients individually as well as in appropriate environments and facilities.

My commitment is primarily toward mentally deficient women who are victims of many forms of abuse and sexual assaults, in order to restore their dignity as women

Name: Dr. Dorette Kouoh

Co-Founder

Advisor and Health Program Coordinator Manager- Africa

Born and raised in Ivory Coast, I migrate to the USA in 1988, after receiving my Bachelor of Science

and Technology in Networking. In 2006, I accepted a job at PETROCI The oil company in Ivory Coast

as IT Support manager, where I worked for 11 years.

The cause of Mental Illness is dear to me because I lost my nephew at the age of 21. After the death

of his mother, he became mentally ill and could not get proper treatment. I had him hospitalize

several times but he was very suicidal. After jumping from a three-story building where he had

multiple broken bones he ends up throwing himself in front of a truck and died on the spot.

When my wife started her interest in this cause, naturally, it was an easy choice for me to support

Mental Illness.

I call for all citizens around the world to be concerned about being informed about Mental Illness, to

care for mentally ill people, because at one point in our life, we knew or heard about someone who

was mentally unstable. We are all vulnerable to mental illness, therefore, Let’s act together and care

for each other by preventing the illness and stopping the stigmatization of those affected by mental

illness.

Name: Cissoko Mamadou

Co-Founder

Advisor and Fundraising Manager