The Canada Afrique Care Foundation (CACFO) is set to officially launch on Saturday, April 18 in Montreal, marking the start of a new nonprofit effort to expand access to mental health services for low-income and underserved communities across Canada.
Registered at both the Quebec provincial and Canadian federal levels, CACFO says it will provide mental health support either free of charge or at subsidized rates, targeting individuals who are often unable to access care due to cost and limited availability.
The launch will take place during the foundation’s first global conference, bringing together policymakers, healthcare professionals and community leaders from Canada, Africa and the diaspora. The event is expected to outline the organization’s long-term strategy and formally open access to its services.
CACFO Chief Executive Officer Tamba A. Korkor said the foundation aims to address persistent gaps in mental health care by combining service delivery with training and international partnerships.
The conference, themed “Mental Health for All – Building Bridges Across Borders,” will include keynote addresses, panel discussions and a formal launch ceremony scheduled for the afternoon, according to the official program.
As part of the launch, CACFO plans to sign memoranda of understanding with partners who will support mental health training programs in Canada and Africa. The organization will also introduce its first training initiative, which is designed to equip frontline professionals with practical skills in community-based mental health care.
The training will focus on groups including nurses, social workers, academic counsellors, community leaders, law enforcement officers and other institutional stakeholders who regularly interact with vulnerable populations.
CACFO said funds raised during the launch will be directed toward this initial training program. Participants who complete the training are expected to receive certification, while selected speakers and partners will be recognized as early sponsors of the initiative.
The conference agenda includes discussions on mental health as a global development issue, presentations on CACFO’s five-year strategic plan and a panel examining challenges and opportunities in mental health care across Africa and the diaspora.
The official launch ceremony is expected to feature remarks from international representatives and senior figures associated with the foundation, culminating in a formal declaration of CACFO’s operational start.
Mental health advocates have increasingly warned of widening gaps in access to care, particularly among low-income populations, as demand rises across both developed and developing countries. CACFO’s launch comes amid growing calls for scalable, community-based solutions and cross-border collaboration to address the crisis.
Whether the foundation can translate its plans into sustained service delivery and measurable impact will depend on its ability to secure long-term funding and build effective partnerships beyond the launch phase.
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