Haiti 2018

In June 2018, we headed to Haiti to distribute 163 paediatric wheelchairs. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, and has recently experienced massive political and social upheaval, with riots and violence leaving the country in distress. It is home to some of the world’s most underprivileged children.

We visited the capital, Port-au-Prince, and the biggest city in the north, Cap Haitien, where we worked with multiple partners including BSEIPH, Partners in Health, and Hope Health Action, to provide chairs for children in desperate need. Our team encountered a number of very complex cases of disabled kids with severe deformities, as a result of spending their whole lives without a wheelchair. That said, the fortnight was filled with smiles and was a great success, with this quote from one of our local partners particularly sticking in our minds:

“Today’s experience was so amazing for all of us. The parents talked about it the whole way home. They felt welcomed and they saw their kids were valued by all of you. A lot of these chairs are true game changers for the kids.”