Haiti: 11 years on, HI continues to ensure access to rehabilitation services for the most vulnerable

On 12 January 2010, Haiti was devastated by an earthquake which killed 230,000 people and injured over 300,000 others. In the wake of this disaster, Handicap International mobilised up to 600 people and deployed unprecedented levels of resources to assist the people affected by the earthquake. The organisation provided 90,000 people with rehabilitation care, 1,400 people with orthopaedic fitting  and 25,000 people with psychosocial support.

Sustainable projects

Eleven years after the earthquake, the organisation continues to support the Haitian population by developing long-term projects.

"In 2010, when the earthquake hit Haiti, there were hardly any rehabilitation services in the country. With support from HI, the first training course for rehabilitation technicians was set up after the earthquake, which now means people can access rehabilitation therapy sessions in different infrastructures. HI continues to support health structures, making rehabilitation centres accessible to all and providing qualified medical staff,"

explains Sylvia Sommella, HI Haiti Director.

• Implemented until 2016, this project trained 86 new experts, who now work in Haiti. HI continues to train rehabilitation technicians, improve the skills of physiotherapists (through virtual e-learning courses) and facilitate access to quality rehabilitation services in hospitals and communities. HI also provides support  to health structures.
• In a country where a part of the population lives in isolated and remote areas, where little relief work has been done, HI works with the most vulnerable and isolated families so that they can prepare for and protect themselves against another natural disaster.
• HI also provides organisations with a maritime transport and humanitarian aid storage service to help them access people in remote areas during natural disasters or emergency situations.
• HI’s teams also implement projects to promote economic self-reliance, fight the COVID-19 epidemic and improve road safety.

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Actions implemented in the wake of the earthquake 

HI, already operating in the country when the earthquake hit, provided rehabilitation care to over 90,000 people, orthopaedic fitting for 1,400 people, and distributed over 5,000 wheelchairs, crutches and walking frames to people with disabilities affected by the disaster. The organisation also provided over 25,000 people with psychosocial support. HI's teams also built over 1,000 shelters for extremely vulnerable families and supplied over 20,000 tons of aid for people affected by the disaster.