An example of a Haitian road © one of the better ones! © Sightsavers

A Grave Situation

Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, has been devastated by four tropical storms (Fay, Hanna, Gustav and Ike) within the space of one month. It has been estimated that as many as 800 people have died, almost 500 in Gonaives alone, and with about 300 reported still missing. Tens of thousands more are currently living in temporary shelters, with food and water in short supply.

Sightsavers operates in Haiti in partnership with the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB), supporting Adjustment to Blindness Instructors (Rehabilitation Workers) with the Société Haitienne d'Aide aux Aveugles (SHAA) in the Artibonite and Cap-Haitien Departments of the country.

The Artibonite Region is considered the "bread-basket" of Haiti, and its rice crop (that was about to be harvested) and other agricultural produce were destroyed when the floods came.

Rehabilitation services

Odette, Pierre Antoine, Dieujuste and Frednel teach important skills to people who are blind, including how to get around independently using a white cane, and valuable day-to-day living skills. They are also trained to identify people's eye problems and refer them to the hospital if they need treatment.

Odette and the dedicated workers have to use motor-cycles to travel the long distances to find and meet with their clients, often through mountainous areas with no roads. All three of the motor-cycles have been badly damaged by the floods, one beyond repair.

All rehabilitation materials have also been destroyed, including Braille Machines, white canes, office supplies and equipment. The Adjustment to Blindness Workers have lost all of their property and possessions, and one of them has been sleeping in a public shelter.

Continuing our services

Being able to continue our work supporting people who are blind is important, especially at times like this, as those who do not have good mobility skills are particularly vulnerable in the wake of such destruction. In fact, it has not yet been determined how many persons who are blind lost their lives and/or possessions.

Continuing our project work in these regions is not going to be easy given the scale of the devastation, and we are working closely with our partners to try to get services back on track.

 

Achievements

 

Delivering V2020 in Haiti

With our partners in Haiti we are supporting the training and development of:

• 4 refractionists
• 4 optometrists
• 3 ophthalmologists
• 3 low vision specialists
• 10 low vision councillors
• 360 primary health care workers
•  2 spectacle lab technicians
• 2 maintenance technicians
• 4 vision centres
• 3 surgical theatres
• 1 spectacle lab