Children's Respite Home & Outreach Project, Haiti

Haiti is experiencing the impact of COVID-19 much like the rest of the world. However, despite the Maison only being open 3 days a week during this crisis, there are plenty of exciting project updates happening on the ground. 

Our Disability Coordinator and Paediatric Physiotherapist, Brooke, has recently completed many first home visits for the children at the Maison to evaluate their home accessibility needs. During these visits, Foster Mums are taught how to perform physical therapy exercises to strengthen and aid their children's mobility. Many of the children were also given brand new wheelchairs, specifically adapted for their body and positioning to use at home. 

One of the Mum's Brooke has recently visited goes above and beyond to look after her son. Not only does she take the time, care and offer physical therapy to this cheeky chappy, but every single day she hikes up a mountain to get to/from her house to gather food and to transport her son to the Maison - all still with that big smile on her face. We are amazed at her strength and will to do this each day to be the best Mum she can be.

In addition to these home visits, the team have started up a brand new Foster Moms Club for the mum's of the children that attend the Maison. This monthly club will provide our Mum's with an open forum to discuss their hardships and the difficulties of raising a growing child with special needs.

Brooke says, "My main goal with this club is to give these women encouragement and enable them to rely on the beautiful, strong community of women they have around them when they are struggling. Each meeting will start with some Bible study time, then move into sharing personal experiences, updating them on what HHA is currently doing, then provide an open time to express any current struggles they may be facing that HHA can collectively work to assist with. Each session will also end with some tasty lunch."