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Day 12

20 minutes of physiotherapy for a child with disabilities in Haiti

Opportunities for people with disabilities Opportunities for people with disabilities

20 minutes of physiotherapy for a child with disabilities in Haiti
Day 12
Developing skills through sport and exercise

"Where are you going with that 'thing'?" When Christella rides in a taxi with her daughter, she often hears such hurtful sentences. The thing: that is her daughter Julienne, who has lived with spastic paralysis since birth. In 2008, the first outpatient rehabilitation center for people with disabilities was built. This is still the only one of its kind in Haiti. Julienne is one of around 140 children who are treated and cared for there every week. And Christella? She is no longer one of those mothers who hide their children at home out of shame, but one of those who set a good example and contribute to a society without discrimination.

Developing skills through sport and exercise
need
Physiotherapeutic support for children with disabilities in Haiti.
activity
Physiotherapists support the 140 children in the Kay St. Germaine rehabilitation center in Haiti 1-2 times a week with various treatments.
Measurable performance
Number of minutes of physiotherapy treatment received by children with disabilities in the rehabilitation centre.
Result
Each child’s individual abilities are strengthened through the treatments.
Systemically relevant impact
Children with disabilities are better integrated into Haitian society and discrimination is reduced.
background

Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas. The country is marked by tropical cyclones and political instability. There is hardly anyone to look after people with disabilities. Gena Heraty from the rehabilitation center reports: "A mother usually has five or six children. If one of them turns out to have health problems, the father often leaves the family. Financial support for Haitian families is already difficult due to the limited employment opportunities. Often both parents have to work odd jobs to keep the family afloat. This means that children with disabilities often stay home alone."

The prejudices that Haitian society has towards people with disabilities are mainly religious or cultural. Children with disabilities are often seen as being bewitched, people keep their distance from them and their fear quickly turns into aggression.

Due to this social exclusion, children with physical or mental disabilities do not have nearly the same opportunities as children without physical or mental disabilities. The entire team at the rehabilitation center has therefore been working for years towards the goal of improving the living conditions for people with disabilities in Haiti.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Day 12 Day 12
The good deed

The good deed aims to provide physiotherapy support to the 140 children in the rehabilitation center. This includes relaxation and loosening exercises as well as support in learning movements. The physiotherapy treatments are one of many measures to promote the individual abilities of each child and increase their long-term potential for social participation. The employees at the 'Kay St. Germaine' disability center support children with disabilities according to the philosophy that all people should have the same rights and opportunities and should not be discriminated against because of their physical limitations. At the same time, they want to break down the prejudices that people with disabilities in Haiti are exposed to.

AboutHaiti
Port au Prince
Port au Prince
Capital city
10 711 000
10 711 000
Population
1.665
1.665
Gross domestic product per capita per year
168
168
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

Haiti was the first independent state in the Caribbean. The country's development is repeatedly shaken by natural disasters such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones.

About the organization and further information

organization

nph Children's Aid Latin America eV

Website

http://www.nph-kinderhilfe.org

Initiative Transparent Civil Society DZI Donation Seal

Further links