Healing Hands for Haiti International Foundation Inc. A Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Institution

ABOUT US

Our vision is to deliver quality, sustainable physical medicine and rehabilitation education, training, and care for the people of Haiti.

OUR VALUES

Healing Hands for Haiti supports and encourages the Haitian people by providing quality physical rehabilitation services in a spirit of self-determination, independence, and human dignity. We are focused on empowering Haitians with disabilities.

Healing Hands for Haiti is a not-for-profit, non-governmental institution with no religious or political affiliation which fosters and respects diversity within our organization.

We will create opportunities for rehabilitation professionals and other volunteers who are willing to freely donate time and resources to our activities in North America and Haiti.

Healing Hands For Haiti is committed to conducting all of its affairs, both domestically and internationally, according to the highest moral and ethical standards.

Our History

2020 Forward

  • Haiti is struck by the Coronavirus pandemic in the midst of political unrest.  
  • Through the dedication and hard work of our local staff, Healing Hands for Haiti is able to continue offering critical rehabilitation services.

2019

  • Healing Hands for Haiti celebrates its 20 year anniversary with a fundraising Gala in Port-au-Prince, raising money from Haitian companies and individuals to support our work.

2018

  • Digicell Corporation provides funding for a recycling workshop.  
  • With this facility, Healing Hands for Haiti is able to recycle old prosthetics/orthotics and waste material from new prosthetics/orthotics into crutch tips and handles.

2016

  • A generous donation allows construction of a large warehouse made of shipping containers, which can be used for construction and storage of wheelchairs donated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and training in wheelchair fitting, and prosthetics/orthotics.

2015

  • A generous donation from Barry Smith allows Healing Hands for Haiti to construct a two-story guesthouse capable of sleeping 25 people.  
  • There are also classrooms and storage rooms for medication and equipment.  
  • Medical teams and continuing medical education teams are able to stay on the grounds of Klinik Kay Kapab adjacent to the clinic. The modern kitchen provides delicious and nutritious Haitian meals for visiting teams.

2012

  • A brand-new 14,000 sq ft. Klinik Kay Kapab is dedicated with the help of multiple partners including the International Red Cross-Special Fund for the Disabled.
  • The clinic houses administrative offices, examination rooms, physical and occupational therapy departments and a prosthetics and orthotics workshop. It has backup diesel powered generators and its 3 floors are completely wheelchair accessible.

2010

  • A devastating earthquake strikes Haiti destroying 5 of our 7 buildings.  
  • Healing Hands for Haiti is instrumental in providing acute rehabilitation care for 100s of new amputees, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and musculoskeletal injuries.

2009

2008

  • The two Boards in Haiti and North America come together to form a joint Governance Committee and implement a new governance structure.

2006

  • Teams return to Haiti after six months hiatus due to security awareness.
  • Preliminary planning begins for building the Healing Hands for Haiti Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Institute.
  • Healing Hands for Haiti convenes the first International Conference in Miami, Florida.

2005

  • Four thousand nine hundred thirty-four patients are seen in clinic, 15% are children.
  • Therapy staff treated 2,612 patients, or 55.51% of the total patients treated.
  • The Orthotics and Prosthetics Department at Kay Kapab Clinic evaluated 496 patients and manufactured 220 devices.
  • We now have four volunteer Haitian physicians at Kay Kapab Clinic that treat 25% of the patients seen at the clinic.
  • Healing Hands for Haiti and Medishare partnered in sponsoring surgeries for hydrocephalic babies. This year 17 surgeries, one orthopedic corrective surgery, and 16 shunt surgeries for hydrocephalic children were performed.
  • We offered a seminar on sign language to enable our staff to communicate with deaf patients and one of our employees who is deaf.
  • Twenty candidates are selected to enroll in the Rehabilitation Aide I Program. Fifteen actually began the course taught by four foreign teachers (physical therapists) and 9 Haitian teachers ( 7 doctors and two teachers from the Department of Linguistics).
  • Three hundred ninety-nine chairs were distributed in Les Cayes, Jacmel, Gonaives, Port a Paix, and Cap Haitian.
  • A generous anonymous donation is received to be used toward the planning and construction of the first rehabilitation hospital in Haiti.

2004

  • Four thousand patients are seen in clinic.
  • Construction begins on a new clinic at the new property, and the guesthouse is remodeled.
  • Clinic and school construction is completed in July 2004 with the help of the Canadian military, part of the multi-national UN forces.
  • The fourth group of Tech I students graduate.

2003

  • A total of 4,818 patients are evaluated and treated at Kay Kapab.
  • Graduate students of the Tech 1 program provided 3,890 therapy treatments at Kay Kapab. 22 surgeries are performed by Dr. Bernard Nau, Dr. Valsant, and Dr. Barth Green. 
  • Barry M. Smith generously purchases and donates a six-acre parcel of land with seven buildings.
  • The third group of Tech I students graduate in November.

2002

  • One hundred twenty-nine patients receive orthotics, and three patients receive surgical intervention.
  • We open Sonia B. Green Center for Education and Rehabilitation, sponsored by Dr. Barth Green and his family. This home provides living quarters for students from the provinces and patients needing extended therapy or prosthetic fitting.
  • The second Tech 1 program graduates in September 2002, and a partnership with Health Volunteers Overseas begins to find teachers for Tech 1 program.
  • A School Reintegration Program is initiated, and scholarships enabled 11 students to attend school.

2001

  • Four rehabilitation teams evaluate and treat over 3,000 patients at Kay Kapab.
  • The Prosthetic shop and Kay Kapab Rehabilitation Technician 1 school open.
  • The first class of Rehabilitation Techs graduate.

2000

  • We open our own clinic, Kay Kapab.

1999

  • Second rehabilitation team travels to Haiti, and over 1,000 patients are evaluated and treated.
  • The first class is set up to teach Haitian clinicians about rehabilitation.
  • Healing Hands is incorporated into a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

1998

First rehabilitation team travels to Haiti, and 300 patients are evaluated and treated.

board members & advisors