Dr. Olivia Tchanque Launches Angel Care Foundation in Ghana with Ambitious Goal to Provide One Million Blankets for African Newborns

The Angel Care Foundation has officially launched in Accra, Ghana, marking the beginning of an ambitious Pan-African initiative to provide every newborn on the continent with a high-quality receiving blanket. Founded by Dr. Olivia Tchanque, the foundation held its inaugural event at the Pelican Hotel in Cantonments, followed immediately by a significant donation of blankets and cash to the Police Hospital Paediatric Ward. This launch serves as the starting point for a mission to distribute one million blankets across Africa within the next five years, ensuring that no child enters the world without the warmth and dignity of proper care. The initiative is designed to ensure that the very first physical contact a newborn has with the world is one of comfort and security. The inspiration for the foundation stems from Dr. Tchanque’s poignant personal history in Cameroon. As a teenager, she witnessed a distressing situation where a nurse initially refused to return a newborn sibling to her family because they lacked a blanket. This memory stood in stark contrast to her later experience giving birth in the United States, where her child was immediately and warmly wrapped. This disparity motivated her to create the Angel Care blanket, designed with Pan-African colors—red, green, and yellow—to symbolize love, unity, and a generational shift in how neonatal healthcare is addressed in Africa. The initiative was further catalyzed by support for her mission following a speech by former President John Mahama, which inspired the choice of Ghana as the foundation's launchpad. At the launch event, the foundation presented receiving blankets and a cash donation to the Police Hospital, which were received by Assistant Superintendent ASP Bright Obeng Sarpong and Chief Superintendent Dr. Ewurekua Forson. Beyond the physical gift of a blanket, the foundation’s model includes the provision of essential postnatal guidance materials for mothers. By partnering with local hospitals, the Angel Care Foundation aims to bridge the gap in neonatal care, offering both physical warmth and educational support to families as they transition from medical facilities back to their homes. Looking ahead, the Angel Care Foundation plans to scale its operations from its Ghanaian base to reach healthcare facilities throughout the continent. Dr. Tchanque emphasizes that the blanket is more than just a piece of fabric; it is a symbol of hope and a commitment to protecting the dignity of Africa’s youngest citizens. By fostering partnerships with healthcare providers and international stakeholders, the foundation seeks to ensure that the "one million blankets in five years" goal becomes a reality, ultimately transforming the early-life experience for millions of African children and their mothers.