Give burn survivors access to rehabilitation

Helping burn rehabilitation specialists in India 5

In April 2013, Sunshine Foundation launched its newest capacity building cooperation project in India. Over a three-year period, Sunshine Foundation will provide technical support to International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC), a Chennai-based NGO working in the field of victim care and prevention of gender violence, for the establishment of a Recovery and Healing Center for women burn survivors. Following a site visit carried out at the Recovery and Healing Center in April 2014, the Sunshine team developed a specialized training program to help build the burn rehabilitation capacities of PCVC staff.

As part of the three-year cooperation project to help set up a Care Center for women burn survivors in Chennai, Sunshine organized a one-month internship from August 8th, 2014 to September 5th, 2014. Trainees Buvi (a physical therapist) and Joy (a social worker) had already attended the first training in 2013. They were joined by their colleague Jayanthi, who came for two weeks to learn about wound care and scar care in order to develop similar services in Chennai.

Soft and quiet Jayanthi had no prior experience in wound care and scar care, so the staff of Sunshine Half-Way House* prepared a curriculum that combined theory with practice. Under the supervision of senior staff, Jayanthi not only learned about the principles of wound care and characteristics of burn scars during the day, but her practical training continued in the evening and was modeled on the usual routine of client's staying at Sunshine Half-Way House.

To learn how to properly help burn survivor shower, clean their wounds, care for their scars and put on pressure garments, Jayanthi needed clients willing to act as models so that she could practice. Before the training began, staff of the Half-Way House explained the project and its significance to clients and asked if people were willing to volunteer. Only a few raised their hand. After all, it's not obvious to put oneself in the hands of a stranger who is just starting to learn. But then something interesting happened...

As Jayanthi came everyday to learn and practice, clients started to know her, they started to see the efforts she put in learning and overcoming the language barrier. They also started to ask about her work at the Care Center, about the life of the women burn survivor she cared for, about why they were burned and how they would be going back to life in the community. Then, more and more clients started to propose to volunteer as models. Even more touching was that some clients who didn't even let staff from the Half-Way House touch their scars, let alone show them to strangers, started to ask Jayanthi to come to their room to show her their scars and explain how they cared for them. For example, one client wanted to show Jayanthi how to distinguish a mature scar that can handle pressure from a fresh scar that is very fragile and can break easily. Another client explained to Jayanthi how the different types of skin grafting surgeries she underwent resulted in scars with different characteristics. Clients became teachers using their bodies and their burn experience as textbooks. When asked what motivated them to overcome shyness or initial scruples, they simply said: "We have to do this to help the burn survivors in India. They are like us, they need their wounds and scars to be taken care of, so we must make sure that Jayanthi learns all that she can while she is here. We want burn survivors there to receive the same good care as we receive."

Although Jayanthi's stay in Taiwan was a short two weeks, through her efforts and with the help of the clients of Sunshine Half-Way House, she was able to learn and make tremendous progress. Clients gave Jayanthi the self-confidence to go back and start implementing what she has learned, while Jayanthi touched the clients and gave them the strength to face their scars, to progressively accept their scars and to seize the opportunity to play a new role: from being recipients of help, clients became able to help others like them. This training project not only built the professional capacities of the Jayanthi, but it also empowered her and the clients of Sunshine Half-Way House.

Your donations help us train burn professionals like Jayanthi and ensure that burn survivors in other countries have access to excellent rehabilitation services. During GlobalGiving’s Bonus Day on October 15, you have the chance to maximize the value of your support because GlobalGiving will be matching gifts made to Sunshine Foundation at 30%. This means that your donation of $100 will receive a $30 match!

We invite you to support Sunshine Foundation’s efforts to help improve burn rehabilitation services in low-middle income countries by donating to our project "Give burn survivors access to rehabilitation"

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/train-burn-rehabilitation-professionals/.

Mark the Bonus Day date on your calendar!!!

Taiwan time: from Wednesday, October 15 at 9:00 PM to Thursday, October 16 at 11:59 AM.
US time: from Wednesday, October 15 at 9:00 AM EST to Wednesday, October 15 at 11:59 PM EST

On behalf of Sunshine Foundation and its international partners, a huge thank you for your support!

PS: We encourage you to make your donation early, because matching funds will likely run out before the end of the day.

* Sunshine Half-Way House offers short-term housing for burn survivors undergoing rehabilitation at Sunshine Foundation. Its services include wound care and scar care, evening rehabilitation, daily living skills training and social adaptation services.