Our History

Since 2024, Shine & Together has been committed to providing quality education and basic healthcare to underprivileged children.

Established in 2024 as a U.S. registered non-profit organization, Shine & Together is devoted to providing healthcare and quality education to children in rural communities, specifically in Africa.

Shine & Together was founded to honor the legacy of Francois Bouhom, a beloved father and mentor. As a child, Francois was raised in a village in West Cameroon with very few opportunities. Despite many obstacles, he grew into an incredibly generous man who vowed to change the lives of the less fortunate.

As an adult, Francois established an elementary school in his village, funded local healthcare centers, and supported many rural communities. During his lifetime, his passion for helping others impacted hundreds of lives.

As an international organization, Shine & Together is driven by the belief that education and access to healthcare are essential to human development in rural communities. We are committed to carrying on Francois Bouhom’s mission by focusing on these critical areas.

On a global scale, we recognize that education transforms lives, while access to healthcare greatly enhances quality of life in these communities.

Through Shine & Together, we are dedicated to providing this support to all people, especially children. It is our hope that by offering quality healthcare and education, we will honor the legacy of Francois Bouhom.

We hope to make him proud.

What we Do

Our Mission

To Improve and support education and well-being of children in rural communities through providing access to schools and healthcare centers.

Our Vision

To break the vicious cycle of poverty and social isolation and to restore hope for a better future. We believe that every child has the right to access education and healthcare in order to live and develop with dignity.

Our Objective

To work for the intellectual, mental, physical and social development of underprivileged children in rural communities, assist them in the process of personal realization through education and encourage healthcare development and health promotion.

Our Goal

To transform schools by building enough classrooms and delivering high quality educational materials to support learning. To improve quality of care and access to medical centers by training local healthcare providers and delivering medical devices.

Our Team

Board of Directors

Dr. Valerie Bouhom

Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Elsa George

Financial Director

Paule Tchiegne Wandji

Operations Director

Debra Widman

Fundraising Director

Mariane Bouhom

Program Director

Rev. Dr. Moise Kankeu Kengne

Regional Director of Operations and Events

Staff and Volunteers

Matiya Kouassi

Event Coordinator

Anne Annello

Volunteer

Amélia Kuissi

Volunteer

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Dr. Valerie Bouhom

Valerie practices general dentistry at Dental Associates of Connecticut. She earned two dental surgery degrees respectively from Victor Segalen University in Bordeaux, France and Tufts University in Boston, USA. Valerie has a Master in healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management from ESCP Business School, Paris. With over 20 years of expertise in the healthcare field, Valerie’s experience includes a wide range of pediatric and general dentistry, special needs care, hospital and pharmaceutical management. Throughout her academic education, valerie received multiple awards including the Honos Civicus award recognizing her for demonstrating an exception commitment to community service and civic engagement and the Peter Voudras award for exceptional skills and excellence in General Dentistry. She deeply believes that service and civic engagement play a significant part in making positive change to people’s lives within their communities. She has a passion for community service, social leadership, women empowerment and children Education. Her ultimate goal is improve access to basis healthcare and Education for the underserved communities. Valerie has worked and lived in numerous locations throughout the United States, Europe and Africa. She likes to spend time with her husband and her three daughters. She enjoys traveling, hiking and exercising.

Dr. Elsa George

Elsa has been practicing general dentistry for almost 25 years and is currently practicing at Monroe Dental Arts. She has been a partner with Dental Associates of Ct for over 16 years and has a heart to serve. She is the mother of four boys and lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut with her husband, mother and children. Elsa enjoys woodworking, gardening, painting and creating pretty and functional things as well as raising her family and spending as much time with them as possible. She takes advantage of any opportunity to serve her community and family.

Paule Tchiegne Wandji

Paule is a mother of three and the daughter of a dedicated former educator. She is deeply passionate about mentoring young people and empowering them to reach their full potential. Her corporate leadership experience in procurement and supply chain management has equipped her with the skills to navigate challenges with resilience, drive meaningful change, and foster transformation, always with a focus on continuous improvement. Paule is committed to advocate for social causes, including women’s empowerment, healthcare, sustainability, and education. Her passion for exploring new cultures and traveling has enriched her perspective and strengthen her commitment to inclusivity and understanding. She cherishes spending time with family and friends, which continually inspires her to make a positive impact in the community.

Debra Widman

Debra Widman O'Connor is a wife, mother of 3, small business owner, and university adjunct. In her work as a pediatric Occupational Therapist, she helps children & their families to reach functional & meaningful goals. Debra volunteers with her family for multiple community organizations that aim to help others. In her free time, Debra enjoys spending time with friends, exercising, being outdoors & traveling.

Mariane Bouhom

Mariane is a staff supervisor at a financial institution located in Montreal, Canada. She is a holder of a bachelor degree in Law and a Master degree in International Trade Law from the University of Wales, United Kingdom. Mariane is a mother of one daughter and she is very passionate about helping others to achieve their full potential. She believes that through education, health care and social development the vicious cycle of poverty and isolation will be broken, which can highly contribute to a brighter future. She believes that together we can build stronger communities. In her free time, Mariane likes to spend time with family and friends. She likes to travel and discover new cultures. She particularly enjoys long walks and exercises.

Rev. Dr. Moise Kankeu Kengne

Rev. Dr. Moise Kankeu Kengne is a bi-vocational missionary pastor, humanitarian chaplain, and peace maker dedicated to serve the most vulnerable. As a therapist counselor, he works towards social rehabilitation of youth in Africa. As an actor and leader in identification, support, and rehabilitation for the elderly, he is committed to work for their wellbeing, ensuring they live a more fulfilling and extended life. As media director and radio-TV journalist host, he produces educational and socio-cultural programs that impact and transform thousands of lives. Rev. Dr. Moise Kankeu Kengne is also a public speaker and social communication coach. As an educator and social advocate, he embodies dedication and commitment, actively working to promote education and healthcare for vulnerable communities.

Matiya Kouassi

Matiya is a high school junior with a strong interest in healthcare, early education, global health, and music. She is a violinist and classical singer. Matiya mentors younger students in music. She is also passionate about community service and volunteering with different organizations.

Anne Annello

Anne lives in Newtown, CT with her husband and three young children. She has spent her fifteen year career in the medical device industry, first as an engineer and then in business strategy, while also volunteering with organizations devoted to improving the lives of children. She is very grateful for the opportunity to support the incredible mission of Shine & Together.

Amélia Kuissi

Amelia lives in Paris and has been working as a social worker for several years now. She has worked as a caregiver in multiple nursing homes. Following a career change, Amelia also has experience working with vulnerable populations. Although different today, her missions are nonetheless related: supporting people in situations of vulnerability, fragility, and precariousness. It was therefore an obvious choice for her to join the Shine & Together organization, which works to support education and health of underprivileged children within their communities.