Children's Respite Home & Outreach Project, Haiti

Many of the kids who attend the Respite Centre have physical disabilities making it impossible to walk. With appropriate wheelchairs often too expensive or simply not available in Haiti, many children we see have never had their own chair and spend their days sitting in a things like baby strollers, or just on the floor. Besides the obvious mobility restrictions, a child living in this way has other affects on their lives.

Kervens is a lovely boy of 8 years old who has been coming to the project for several years. His family of 7 live in a 1 room house in one of the poorest slums of Cap-Hatien. His disability is such that he cannot walk or talk but is still very aware and can communicate with his eyes. He loves being involved in activities and coming to the Respite Centre.

Kervens has always sat in an old baby stroller which meant he was nearly lying down and made him seem a lot younger and less aware of what was happening that was actually the case. Because of that he could easily be ignored or left out.

HHA work with the Walkabout Foundation to supply adapted wheelchairs to people with disabilities in Haiti, and last month, Kervens was finally able to receive his own chair. His older brother came in and was part of the fitting process so he can help out with the chair when at home. This simple bit of equipment will totally transform Kerven's life. He now sits upright in a full size chair which makes him much more noticeable. He will no longer be dismissed as a quiet 'baby' but seen as a happy 8 year old boy who happens to have a disability. 

For us, providing a fitted wheelchair to a child does more than provide increased physical mobility - it allows them to take their rightful place in society and to be recognised for who they are. Kervens is a much loved child both at his home and at our respite centre so everything, including Kervens himself, is delighted that he now has his own wheelchair.

Your support is really making these positive outcomes possible so thank you so much from everyone at HHA!

Links:

• HHA disability work