I am driven by a desire to help
My vocation has its roots in the disaster that struck Haiti in 2010. I was deeply affected by that earthquake, which claimed between 220,000 and 300,000 lives and left many injured, some of whom still live with severe long-term effects today. At the time, there were so few rehabilitation professionals in the country that we had to bring in physiotherapists from abroad to help out. That is why I chose to become a physiotherapist: I wanted to help, offer my support and contribute to building our society. I trained in Benin and have been practising this profession for over ten years.
The best thing about my work is being able to help improve patients’ quality of life through simple techniques and treatments. I help to promote their mobility and independence, as well as their integration into social and professional life. Seeing them smile again gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride.
Patient well-being is at the heart of our work. So, although rigour and discipline are essential for a physiotherapist, the most important thing is to have ‘healing hands’.
The precarious living conditions in Port-au-Prince exacerbate the need for rehabilitation
Over the past three years, we have seen an increase among our patients in cases of stroke, as well as the after-effects of fractures and injuries caused by accidents or gunshot wounds. The dramatic rise in insecurity across the country is likely a contributing factor.
Today, we are working with people who have fled violence and who have often lost everything, and it is heart-wrenching to see the extent of the needs and precariousness of their situation.
Our patients live in temporary shelters where they are poorly housed and endure extremely precarious living conditions. This has consequences for their health in the short, medium and long-term; for example, they are more likely to develop joint pain.
In Haiti, we have built our resilience
Admittedly, Haiti is going through a crisis, but to be honest, for decades the situation has never been very different from what it is today. For people of my generation, we have been forged by our resilience.
I am driven by the hope of a better future. The simple fact of being able to make a contribution to this society torn apart by socio-political unrest and to improve the quality of life of people facing a humanitarian emergency spurs me on, and I tell myself that it is worth carrying on.
I have always dreamed of being able to play my part in building our society, particularly by helping to promote rehabilitation, which remains relatively unknown in this country. I am driven by a desire to improve the quality of life for people with physical disabilities, whilst supporting the social and professional integration of all people with disabilities.
I want to become one of the pioneers of rehabilitation across the country, just as Jean-Baptiste Richardier and Claude Simonnot were when they founded the wonderful organisation that is Humanity & Inclusion.
