Our Story: A Journey of Serendipity, Passion, and Whole-Person Care

For 45 years, our Founder, Dr. Ureh Nnenna Lekwauwa MD DLFAPA, has served as a physician, and for more than half of that time, she has been leading global medical missions. Her path to psychiatry was one of serendipity - she initially intended to be a paediatrician. Yet, this unexpected direction allowed her to confront a profound truth: mental illness affects a large portion of our population, and we all know someone who has it.

During her years of global missions, she witnessed firsthand how very little is done about this condition by Governments and Policy-makers. It is a silent crisis, allowed to overrun families and the individuals who suffer from it. This was brought home during medical missions to Abiriba in Abia State, where her team faced a critical gap: they did not know where to refer psychiatric patients who they started treatment on.

A pivotal moment came in 2013 after many years of trying. Dr. Lekwauwa received approval from Governor T. A. Orji of Abia State to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of psychiatric services in the state. Even though the recommendations are yet to be implemented, She is grateful for that opportunity, because that’s what led to the founding of the Bloom Foundation, whose initial mission was focused squarely on mental health.

She was not alone in this endeavor. The Foundation is fortunate to have three other psychiatrists and other individuals in the family who are passionate about mental illness and care about those who suffer from them. Their shared passion gave them the boldness to push forward.

The vision soon expanded. Recognizing that health is multifaceted, the Bloom Foundation added physical health for integration and began addressing social determinants of health like education and skill acquisition. This evolved into the comprehensive whole-person approach that defines the Foundation today.

This work is powered by a dedicated community. The Bloom Foundation is fortunate to have individuals who are passionate about its mission and have been staunch supporters through board membership and contributions of financial and other resources. About 99 percent of its funding comes from family and board members, who specify how they want their funds to be used. As long as it is in keeping with the Foundation’s mission, it is done as specified.

The Bloom Foundation's goal remains steadfast: to continue to work at all levels—Individual, Community, and Government/Policy - to assist individuals and communities BLOOM!