In Venezuela, HI is supporting people affected by the earthquakes

Rehabilitation care for those affected by the disaster

Iván Matos is a 20-year-old Venezuelan who sought refuge in a temporary shelter in La Guaira after the earthquakes at the end of June threatened to bring his home down. When the disaster struck, Iván had already been suffering for over a year from a fractured tibia that had not yet healed.

“When the two earthquakes struck, I was very frightened; I didn’t know what was going to happen. Because of my fracture, I couldn’t walk, so I got on a motorbike with a friend and we took refuge on the slopes of Mount San Julián,” he explains.

Since early July, the young man has been receiving care from the emergency rehabilitation teams deployed by HI in La Guaira. During his second session, he was able to do rehabilitation exercises with HI’s physiotherapist to improve the flexibility of his leg and gradually relearn how to walk.

“Before HI started looking after me, I’d never done any rehabilitation. Now that I’ve started the exercises, I feel better. I know everything will be alright; I have faith in my leg and my bones,” says Iván happily.

Comprehensive and inclusive emergency aid

Since 24 June, HI teams have been working in Caracas and La Guaira to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake. Having identified various urgent needs during a preliminary assessment phase, the organisation is now rolling out a multi-faceted response to support the local population:

• Distribution of hygiene kits and essential items: nearly 100 kits have been distributed to people in temporary shelters who have lost their homes and belongings. They are living there in precarious conditions in terms of comfort and hygiene whilst awaiting more sustainable rehousing solutions.
• Rehabilitation services: rehabilitation care is being provided at temporary accommodation sites in La Guaira for displaced people and surrounding communities severely affected by the earthquakes. HI’s three specialists have carried out more than 80 individual rehabilitation sessions to help people recover effectively from their injuries.
  An emergency medical team (EMT) also arrived in Caracas, ready to support rehabilitation services in the three mains hospital and rehabilitation centres in Caracas.
• Provision of adapted equipment for people with disabilities: to help people with disabilities who lost their equipment during the disasters regain greater mobility and independence, HI’s teams are providing mobility aids – crutches, walking sticks, wheelchairs, walking frames, etc. – to those in need.
• Tailored mental health and psychosocial support: around fifteen people are being supported by HI’s psychologist to cope with the trauma they have experienced and thus begin to rebuild their lives.