VHCHE was established as a Nonstock Corporation in the State of Virginia on April 4, 2018. On April 1, 2019, VHCHE was exempt under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) and authorized as a nonprofit charitable organization established to provide health and educational opportunities for children in underserved and underprivileged communities in both local and international environs. VHCHE was inspired by the life and hopes of a little girl named Viridiane born in Cameroon. She lived a short but full and impactful life. VHCHE memorializes the life and legacy of this amazing child who touched so many lives. VHCHE is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under Section 2055, 2106, or 2522.
On May 31, 2023, VHCHE received the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)’s approval for listing in the Official Catholic Directory (OCD) as a Catholic Charity of the Arlington Diocese. Our current geographic focus is rural and very poor areas in Cameroon, Central West Africa. It is a country with wide areas of poverty. Family life in some of these areas is dramatically compounded by large numbers of internal refugees fleeing ongoing armed domestic unrest in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of the country. In these areas, young people suffer the most and VHCHE is currently working there the hardest.
The VHCHE Board of Directors consists of a group of eight individuals with a shared desire to advance the health and education of children globally. The Directors bring to the organization a wealth of relevant experience and expertise in the fields of healthcare, civil litigation, public health and epidemiology, naval operations, business administration, and construction engineering. The Board meets quarterly with additional meetings, more frequently, as needed for specific projects.
It is the mission and purpose of VHCHE to resource sustainable partnerships projects that enable and empower children to overcome real and often systemic challenges in their communities that adversely impact their maturation and attainment of their full life’s potential. VHCHE also aims to advance children’s rights and to correct inequality in underserved and underprivileged communities by coordinating and facilitating outreach and education activities. Its principal activities in pursuit of this mission are to provide aid and relief to help eradicate illiteracy and promote healthier environments and behavior in children at local, national, and international levels.