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

Instagram Facebook Linkedin
Donate Now

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

Bernard j Nau

Ex Officio Member

Dr Bernard Nau , a respected haitian orthopedic surgeon in the Caribbean, has been a medical doctor since 1982, having received his education at the State University of Haiti, and he has been an orthopedic surgeon since 1986. He obtained his fellowship in external fixation from the Erasmus University of Brussels in 1989 and has been practicing in his native Haiti ever since. General Orthopedic trauma care of upper and lower extremities, total joint replacement, arthroscopic surgery, prosthetic fixation are among his areas of expertise for more than 37 years. For many years, Dr. Nau has taught orthopedic residents at University Hospital in Port au Prince. He established his private practice at Rue Villate Clinic,11 in Petion-ville Haiti.When he began his private practice, he gave one day a week to serve the poor at mission hospitals. Besides his expertise in Sport Medicine as a former member of the FIVB Medical Commission (1997-2017), one of founder member of NORCECA Medical commission (1999 until now) he joins with all his expertise Healing Hands for Haiti organization a rehabilitation center devoted to help disabled children and adults in Haiti. He started to volunteer as the medical director of Clinic Kay kapab from 2002 to 2006. In 2006, he was elected president of the board until the 2010 earthquake, where this organization played a key role in the rehabilitation of the victims. From 2010 to 2012, he was promoted to National Medical Director of the HHH. Then from 2012 to 2019 he held the position of advisory member; and was re-elected president of the board for three years (2020-2023). Currently, he is an exofficio member of this honorable institution which continues to fight for this fringe of the underserved population of Haiti.
Jeff randle

Founder & Board Member

I was an LDS missionary in Haiti in 1982-83. I fell in love with the people and the country and decided to study medicine after my mission with the goal of returning to Haiti one day to help people with physical disabilities. In 1998 HHH made its first trip to Haiti and we have been working to help Haitians with disabilities ever since.
Rudolph Lalanne

Treasurer of the Board

I'm a medical doctor specialized in internal medicine I gave my support to the organization whenever possible and I've been on the board since 2006.
Callie Randle

Board Member/ Assistant Secretary

My name is Callie and I am a graduate from the University of Utah. I have been lucky enough to travel to Haiti eight times with HHHF. The first time I went to Haiti I was 15 and continued leading student teams to Port au Prince thereafter. Seeing the work that HHHF does for Haitians in the disabled community changed my life.
Colleen OConnell

Board Member

Colleen is a Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Dalhousie University in Canada. She is a spinal cord injury, Neuromuscular Disease and amputation rehabilitation specialist. She has worked in capacity building and training in rehabilitation in areas of need throughout the world, and founded HHH collaborating organization Team Canada Healing Hands in 2003. She co-chairs the World Health Organization World Rehabilitation Alliance workstream on rehabilitation in emergencies, and contributed to guidance and best practices for Rehabilitation in the humanitarian field. She has worked in disaster and emergencies response in Haiti, Nepal and Ukraine, and advocates for the strengthening of rehabilitation in health systems as an essential health service. She has traveled to Haiti over 40 times as part of HHH and TCHH projects.
Eve Jean Baptiste Brown (JB)

President

I m a lawyer of 45 years of practicing Port-au-Prince Bar. I was the past President of SOS Children village of Haiti (17 years), Honor President of SOS Children village, 2 past President of Rotary club Petionville, past assistant governor Rotary District 7020, Former minister of justice (4months 12days I resigned), Hanwash member committee, owner of Brown legal Group, board member of Brown consulting Group, Board member Foundation Heritage for Haiti.
Jim Rohde, MD

Board Member

After graduating from U of Michigan Medical School followed by a general internship year my first position was as solo doctor in Zimbabwe. This led to my decision to become a family physician. In my first year of practice in Minnesota I was recruited to be the house physician for a 64 bed rehab facility now part of Courage Kenny. In 2005 I was invited.to join the Minnesota team of HHH on their annual volunteer week. This was the first of 18 trips to Haiti. I am now retired from practice but serve on 2 international boards.
Katie Riggs

Treasurer in the United States

I fell in love with Healing Hands for Haiti Foundation and the people of Haiti on my first trip with the Utah Team in Spring of 1999. That first trip was such an incredible experience that forever changed my life. I have had the privilege to volunteer for several trips over the years, and became Treasurer in 2017 and was honored to become a board member in 2018.
Lorraine Mangonès

Member

Executive Director of FOKAL, a 28 year old Haitian foundation. FOKAL has helped HHH through grants after the 2010 earthquake. In 2019, I was recruited by Dr. Nau to join the board.
Philippe R. Armand

HACCOF Founder

Mr. Philippe R. Armand was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Philippe holds a Bachelor of Economics with honors from Loyola, Montreal and an MBA from University of Western Ontario. Mr. Armand has owned several businesses in his professional career including Dynamic Enterprises, Compagnie D’Assurance D’Haiti, Multimed Inc., among others. Philippe’s business ventures span international borders. Throughout his professional career, Mr. Armand has also been active with many NGOs, as well as professional and service organizations. Since 1980, Philippe served as President of the following organizations: Associon Interamericana de Hombres de Empresa, the American Chamber of Commerce of Haiti, and Lakou Lape. He has also been a key member and served in leadership positions of the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, American Chamber of Commerce of Latin America and the Pan American Development Foundation. Mr. Armand was President of Healing Hands for Haiti from 2014 to 2020, and remains an active board member. Mr. Philippe R. Armand is married with four children and eight grandchildren. He currently resides alternately between Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Miami, Florida.
Shella Nicolas

Member

Office Manager to Human ressources manager 12 years English Teacher- ESL evening class for interpreters-10 years- Operations manager mail delivery services- owner. Joined HHH November 2001 as a secretary for Fund raising committee. Was accepted on the board July 2001as an active member. Served as Secretary of the Haitian board from May 2007 to February 2010. Continued regular meetings at La Reserve with limited attendees but determined with the objective to maintain the flame for the benefit of the complete construction of the actual clinic.
Haeli Hauritz

Secretary

I started volunteering with Healing Hands for Haiti while still in high school. Ever since then I have been peripherally involved in fundraisers, events, and trips. I've been to Haiti three times now and expect I'll be going again in the future. I was very recently added to the board in October 2020 and am hoping we can continue the great work that the clinic in Haiti has been doing.

About Us

WHAT YOU CAN DO

All Rights Reserved. Healing Hands for Haiti.  Site Credit.