Following the earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010, the Association "Handicap International" has established the largest deployment of its history. Three years later, the association always intervenes in the country, to develop with Haitian actors long-term solutions to the challenges faced by the country.

At the peak of the mobilization of the Association, its teams have counted up to 600 people in Haiti, including 80 expatriates. Logistics, reconstruction, equipment, counseling and rehabilitation... Handicap International has mobilized most of its poles of expertise to help the earthquake victims. Since 2010, more than 500 expatriates participated in this major emergency response.

During the first two years of intervention :

• Nearly 1,500 people were fitted ;

• 20,000 tons of aid have been sent ;

• 1.050 transitional houses were built to rehouse more than 5,000 people ;

• 90,000 people have received basic care and of readaptations and 25,000 received psychosocial support activities.

• 5.600 mobility aids (crutches, wheelchairs, walkers...) were distributed ;

• Physiotherapists of the organization conducted 4.500 rehabilitation sessions.

Since that period, the action of Handicap International has shifted from emergency to development, to strengthen in a sustainable manner the rehabilitation sector in Haiti, while leading of action of economic integration of people with disabilities.

Haitians take over :

In the field of physical rehabilitation, Handicap International has transferred a portion of its activities to a local partner, the association "Healing Hands for Haiti," which built a new fitting centre in the capital.

Handicap International is not intended to replace the long-term national health system, but to create the conditions for a local take over by encouraging the emergence of skills Haitian, this is the reason for which of trainings has been initiated for the first time in the country. The goal is to train Haitian professionals to the trades of the rehabilitation, for aid physiotherapists, prosthetists, can take care of patients fitted.

In less than two years, Haiti can count on 70 rehabilitation technicians and 32 technicians who will contribute to the care of people with disabilities, and more particularly of amputees after the earthquake.

Jobs to live with dignity :

Handicap International conducts also a project of social inclusion, enabling vulnerable people or their families to create a business. The process is simple: the association offers training to project beneficiaries, so that they are able to develop their activity. Example with the family of Christella, a young girl fitted with a device by Handicap International, his family received a set of commodity, which is a starting stock, to enable him to become financially independent.

HL/ HaitiLibre