Leaders, community members and partners gathered on Friday, 27 February 2026, to mark the beginning of construction on a new Medical and Social Center in Gbenyedzi, Togo. The project is supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in collaboration with local authorities and community leaders.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held at 11:00 a.m. at the future construction site, officially launched the development of a facility intended to improve access to healthcare for residents of the community and nearby areas within Golfe 1 Municipality in Lomé. The ceremony also served as the official handover of the site to the construction company, allowing work on the new center to begin.
Mayor Gomado lays a ceremonial cornerstone for the new medical center at the groundbreaking celebrated on 27 February 2026.
Mayor Gomado lays a ceremonial cornerstone for the new medical center at the groundbreaking celebrated on 27 February 2026.© 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.An existing medical center serving the people of Gbenyedzi and surrounding communities operates in a rented building that has deteriorated over time and no longer meets standards needed to provide quality healthcare services. The new Medical and Social Center will address this need. Built on approximately 1,965 square meters, it will include two main buildings: A medical block with consultation rooms, testing rooms and a laboratory for basic care, and a maternity block with consultation offices and a delivery room divided into three sections.
In his remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony, Togbui Mawuko Adela Aklassou IV, Chief of the Gbenyedzi Canton, expressed gratitude for the collaboration between the municipality and the Church, saying that it’s a great joy to see “the construction of a Medical and Social Center that will help save lives. On behalf of the people of Gbenyedzi and Golfe 1 Municipality, I sincerely thank The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We pray that the work will be carried out under good conditions.”
- Mayor-Gomado-and-Togbui-Mawuko-Adela-Aklassou-IV,-Chief-of-the-Gbenyedzi-Canton,-arrive-at-the-site-of-the-groundbreaking-on-27-February-2026.
- President-Amehouenou-speaks-with-the-dignitaries-attending-the-groundbreaking-on-27-February-2026.
- Rendering-of-what-the-new-medical-center-will-look-like,-for-which-ground-was-broken-on-27-February-2026.
- Group-photo-of-those-who-attended-the-ground-breaking-on-27-February-2026.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Mayor Koamy Gbloekpo Gomado, Minister Delegate for Local Development and Mayor of Golfe 1 Municipality expressed gratitude to God and appreciation to the Church for its financial contribution to the project. He described the difficult conditions under which healthcare staff currently work and emphasized that this project responds to an urgent need. He encouraged the construction company to respect standards so the center can be completed on time.
Speaking on behalf of the Church, President Emmanuel Komlan Amehouenou, President of the Lomé Togo Agoe Stake, thanked civil authorities for their cooperation and then, as the first stone was laid for the foundation of the building, said, “This first stone represents our faith, our hope, and our confidence in the future. It also represents a spiritual foundation, rooted in Jesus Christ, the great healer of souls.”
As recorded in Psalm 147:3, Christ “healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strives to emulate His example, providing means for physical as well as spiritual healing. This medical center, along with others the Church has supported around the world, reflects that commitment to follow the Great Healer’s example.
When completed, the Medical and Social Center is expected to serve as an important resource for families in the area. Beyond providing healthcare services, local leaders say the facility represents hope, dignity and improved well-being for the community and reflects a shared commitment to compassion and care for those in need.