Empowering Adult Handicapped Haitians

Although life in Haiti has been excruciatingly difficult during the past quarter, the good work of our partner organization, CAHSAV (the adult residents of St. Vincent’s Center), has continued.

At St. Vincent’s Center, the primary and middle school day students have been unable to come to class due to the threat of gang violence as well as exorbitant costs for gas. The adults and residential children live on campus behind the security walls. The walls have been compromised in recent weeks by gangs, however, they have already been repaired to keep everyone as safe as possible.  

Through it all, CAHSAV continues to actively contribute to St. Vincent’s by aiding the caregiving staff, comforting the younger children, and working with the administration on accounting and other duties. They raise the spirits of the staff whenever possible, including giving Mother’s Day gifts to the women who clean, cook, and care for the young children.  

Even though most schools are closed in the Santos area, the adults continue to persue educational activities, including the students directly supported by this project who have low vision or blindness. They have been meeting with their tutor to further their studies and increase their proficiency using the braillers. 

While waiting and watching for a better security situation, work is underway to start the first vocational training class at St. Vincent’s, taught by members of CAHSAV. Once school reopens, six middle school students will begin a semester-long internship at Bar Resto, the small restaurant that CAHSAV manages and operates on St. Vincent’s campus. Youngsters with blindness, deafness, or physical challenges will be shadowing the adults with disabilities during their daily activities:

• Setting up
• Cooking
• Serving
• Receiving payment
• Cleaning up
• Keeping inventory
• Replenishing supplies 

Through this project, Friends of St. Vincent’s sends financial means to: 

• Support the campus nurse who is monitoring the health of all residents
• Supplement residents’ daily meals of rice or corn porridge with fresh vegetables and milk
• Provide stable internet for the adults to continue their studies
• Pay the tutor for his continued support of the adults

We are proud to be partners with this dynamic group of adults with disabilities who are staying the course, supporting the life within the institutional walls of St. Vincent’s Center. Better days are ahead for all of Haiti, and when the school reopens with a full program, CAHSAV will be ready.

Links:

• How Haitians Survive Gang Violence & Kidnappings