Haiti Rehabilitation Centre

During the summer, we had a group of volunteers that worked at the rehabilitation centre for 3 weeks. As a treat for the patients and staff, an evening out in town was planned. Rehab patients are usually very isolated, and are not able to leave the rehab facility due to lack of transportation, financial resources and the need for carers to help them get around town. This was a rare opportunity for a change of scene. 

Everyone was excited and dressed in their nicest clothes. We loaded a taptap (a haitian taxi) and a car with 6 patients and some of our staff and took off to town. It was great to see the change in the faces of the patients when they went out for the first time after being in a hospital for so long.

We went to a Haitian restaurant by the side of the ocean, on the boulevard of Cap Haitien, a popular spot in the evenings. It was by chance that a group of “troubadours”, traditional Haitian musicians with drums and rattles, came by and started playing for us. Anyone knowing Haitian culture knows that music and singing is irresistable making everyone participate. It was great to see people with and without disabilities mixing together all dancing and singing!

After dinner we decided to stroll along the boulevard to get some ice cream. We clearly attracted quite a few looks, but the acceptance from everyone we saw was great to see.

We try to enrich the lives of all patients by making trips like this possible. And through them we keep trying to show that we are all equal and disability is not inability!

Your support not only helps us deliver the medical care these people need, but also provide these little extras which can help with emotional rehabilitation. Thank you so much.

Links:

• HHA disability work