Haiti Rehabilitation Centre

Over 75% of the Haitian population does not have a fixed income. It is not hard to imagine that having a family member in rehabilitation, after sustaining a Spinal Cord Injury in an accident, finances for everyone become even more challenging. If the person was the breadwinner of the family, even worse. Imagine the difficulty for this person to find work after spending months in a rehabilitation centre.

Working is one of the ways to be included again by society and the community, but if a job is not found, people with disabilities in Haiti are usually left isolated in their homes. This can lead to various secondary health problems and with that, more medical treatments and costs at a hospital occur. It can be a vicious circle that is difficult to get out of.

With our partners from Switzerland, we want to give people with disabilities a chance to find employment. Over the past few months, a bakery and café have been built, close to the hospital we partner with. More than 50% of the employees working there will be people with a disability. We want to show that they can also be a part of the working society just like everyone else. The café and bakery is opening next month and will be open to the public, and our goal is to expand the business outside of the hospital’s walls. Delivery to restaurants and hotels in Cap-Haitien, and showing off a completely wheelchair accessible building, will help raise awareness and advocate for a great cause, while giving people jobs and income.

At the same time, it also lets us “expand” our vocational therapy for rehab in-patients. As they learn new skills and produce sandals and jewellery for example, they will be able to sell these goods in the shop included in the café. Before being discharged from the hospital, this already enables them to make some much needed money for themselves and their families.

Thank you so much for supporting this work and we look forward to showing you the completed bakery and cafe very soon.

The Rehabilitation Centre was set up in response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the dramatic increase is need for spinal cord injury treatment. It was the first of its kind in Haiti and still one of only 3 in the country. 8 years on from the earthquake and the team now treats people from a wide range of backgrounds suffering disability for many different reasons.

Jocelyn arrived 3 years ago as he fell out of a tree suffering a spinal cord injury. This injury meant he could not work which has a huge impact on his family as well as him.  This kind of sudden life changing injury can be extremely hard both physically and mentally going from being a provider to needing constant care.

At first he was being cared for at home but developed a really bad pressure sore - a constant concern for those with mobility issues. He was then brought to the Rehab unit where he was given a wheelchair, treatment for his wound and therapy. He still has the wound but it is much better than it was.

Rehabilitation is a long process but now, Jocelyn feels at home there, and as his physical condition improves the staff also work on building his confidence and independence to prepare him for life outside of the unit again. He’s being taught new skills – he turns recycled plastic into handbags and is making bracelets, and other items of jewellery. His plans for the future – he wants to be self-employed and run his own business. He’s very happy to get the chance at new life after his injury.

Thanks for your support!

Links:

• HHA's disability work