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Haiti Project

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Our Work in Haiti

In 2010 Haiti was hit with a huge earthquake that flattened the capital city of Port-au-Prince, as well as many surrounding areas. Following generations of political, environmental and economic hardship in the country, the earthquake disaster devastated this little country.

Acupuncturists from around the United States begged AWB to mount a relief effort in Haiti. With support from private sponsors and relief coordinators, as well as Mayway and other organizational sponsors, AWB began sending relief teams to Haiti. In 2010 eight relief teams offered approximately 5,000 treatments. Subsequently AWB provided three trainings for a total of 120 local health care practitioners.

Currently AWB trainees in Haiti offer six weekly clinics, and AWB provides ongoing support for a part-time local clinic coordinator. AWB volunteers have offered over 30,000 life-giving treatments in Haiti, and there is demand by local health care practitioners for an additional training if funds can be raised.

“Acupuncture has become an essential tool to heal our wounds.
Haiti has welcomed acupuncture throughout the city and also in the country. It is an obligation to continue to relieve the population with acupuncture because it’s free and easy.”

– Sanon Chelirose
AWB-trained Practitioner offering free, weekly ear acupuncture

Elouse Thumas treating community members in Leogane, Haiti

What we have Accomplished

  • In the aftermath of the 7.0 Richter scale earthquake in 2010 which left more than 1 million of Haiti’s 10 million people homeless, AWB teams from the U.S. treated 4,500 earthquake survivors.
  • Subsequently, AWB trained 120 doctors, nurses and health care workers in Haiti to incorporate ear treatments into their work.
  • Since 2013, treatment expenses for six local weekly clinics have been covered by stipends, and AWB has paid a part-time clinic manager in Haiti, Louissaint Alcide, to coordinate this program.
  • AWB-trained Haitian volunteers have provided more than 30,000 trauma treatments using the NADA protocol. Currently, they offer between 500 and 1,000 free treatments in Haiti each month.

“Thank you to our donors and AWB supporters for having facilitated the arrival of acupuncture in Haiti. Acupuncture is a marvel, a miracle. Acupuncture is very welcome in Haiti. In my clinic every week acupuncture brings about healing for the people and they love this therapy.”

– Henricia Massilon, AWB-trained volunteer

Next Steps & Fundraising Goals

 

AWB is currently out of funding for stipends and salary for Haitian workers, as well as program coordination from our central office. 

Below are the next steps needed to create sustainability for AWB’s trauma treatment program in Haiti. We are currently raising funds to reach these objectives. Please consider donating!

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1. Stipends and Salary for Six Haitian Practitioners: $5,000/year
Raise funds to keep paying stipends, expenses and part-time salary for the AWB team in Haiti.

$40/month pays the stipend for one Haitian volunteer who coordinates a weekly clinic treating approximately 150 – 250 people per month. This is only 16 – 26 cents/treatment. Louissaint Alcide’s stipend is $200/month plus $95/month in expenses.

2. Strategic Planning Trip to Haiti: $5,000 one time
Raise funds to send AWB Haiti program coordinator Melanie Rubin, and Haitian acupuncturist Nathalie Guillaume to Haiti for one week of meetings with the Ministry of Health, the medical association, the nursing association, local NGOs with whom we may be able to partner, other interested parties, and local volunteers.
3. Assistance from a Haiti Partner Organization: $3,000/year
In order to build sustainability for ear acupuncture in Haiti, we are seeking a local partner organization that can act on AWB’s behalf in advocating for ear acupuncture certification, creating opportunities for AWB-trained practitioners to get paid for their work, providing local support for Louissaint Alcide and fostering usage of this treatment approach within hospitals and community clinics throughout Haiti.
4. Program Coordination from Within the US: $3,000/year
AWB must pay for the time and overhead it takes to keep the Haiti program operating. We would like to be able to hire Haitian acupuncturist Nathalie Guillaume on a contract basis to assist with this process.
5. Further Training in Haiti: $30,000 one time
The mental health coordinator from Haitian health care organization Zanmi Lasante (the Partners in Health affiliate in Haiti), has requested training for more of his staff, and for the organization’s infectious disease doctors. If these professionals can be trained, trauma treatment using ear acupuncture will expand exponentially in Haiti. As well, Haiti clinic coordinator Louissaint Alcide has received requests from dozens of health care workers in Port-au-Prince who want training.

The cost for these trainings, including paying Zanmi Lasante staff time and facilities, and AWB travel and expenses, would be $30,000.

AWB won’t take this step unless we can secure major funding

While we are raising funds to continue this program, we also welcome any ideas, resources and connections you may have to help make this program sustainable.

Examples:

Do you know anyone who would like to fund matching contributions for this effort?

Do you have a good way to get supplies to Haiti?

For questions, suggestions and ideas for sustainability, please contact AWB Haiti Program Director, Melanie Rubin, melanie@acuwithoutborders.org.

Donate Now

Acupuncture relieves thousands of people in Haiti and is a big benefit in this country. In my clinic it is always a joy. It is good to continue to support the Haiti program. Without the stipend, we cannot continue to work. Please put more money in the Haiti program. Thank you to AWB and thank you also to our donors.

– Miguerline Lima, AWB-trained practitioner

AWB Haiti Clinic Coordinator Louissaint Alcide

Header Photo by Ricardo’s Photography on Foter.com / CC BY