Queen of Sheba Health Services was founded by Gerben en Dorien Boon. They have three boys: Boaz, Levi and Aron. The family has been living and working in Northern Ghana since January 2016.
Gerben studied Medicine in Leiden, the Netherlands, and subsequently specialized and qualified in Tropical Medicine at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During his medical training, he was a long-term intern at the Department of Surgery of Havenziekenhuis Rotterdam and at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology of Bronovo Hospital in The Hague. Before moving to Ghana, he also worked as a GP.
In Ghana, he continued his medical studies and worked for six months in Tamale Teaching Hospital to prepare for his Ghanese medical exam. After passing this exam, he was able to register and start working as a medical doctor in Gushegu. Over the past years, he worked part-time in the local hospital – primarily on the delivery ward. At the same time, he designed and performed a thorough medical-anthropological study to better understand the current state of affairs and medical needs with regard to pregnancy and childbirth in Gushegu. At Queen of Sheba Medical Center, Gerben will be Medical Director.
Dorien trained as a nurse and worked at various Departments in different hospitals in the Netherlands. Before moving to Ghana, she completed a course in tropical medicine for nurses at Havenziekenhuis in Rotterdam. Just like Gerben, she worked in Tamale Teaching Hospital for several months in preparation for her Ghanese medical exam and registered as a nurse in Ghana. At the moment, Dorien’s main focus is on the family and homeschooling the boys. She supports Gerben in his medical work as much as possible.
Gerben en Dorien are passionate about using their medical skills to serve people living in poverty. In particular, it is their desire to provide good care to pregnant women and infants. By serving others, they want to live out their faith. They believe it is their calling to share Jesus’ love with the people in Ghana in a visible and tangible way.
The Boon family does not receive any salary or reimbursement; their life and work in Ghana is entirely dependent on donations. Their support network is formed by people sharing their mission: ‘Loving people, bringing life’.
Would you like to support the Boon family in their day-to-day needs with a one-off donation or a monthly contribution? We are very grateful for your support. Donations can be made to Project Share Netherlands [hier de juiste rekeninggevens invullen].