Return to listing
After having both legs amputated when they were crushed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 19-year-old Herve struggled. He was given prosthetics that did not work well and couldn’t go to school or join his friends.
Then a health worker suggested Herve visit AmeriCares partner BRAC Limb and Brace Center, where Haitian workers handcraft artificial limbs. Technicians built prosthetics to fit Herve, and he can now walk, ride a bike and even play soccer. “I’m not sad anymore,” he explained. “I feel like I have my real legs back.”
AmeriCares began supporting the Limb and Brace Center in February 2013 when the operation faced closure. Instead, using funding and technical assistance from AmeriCares, the center is growing.
Between January and October 2013, the center added 700 new patients, bringing the total to just below 3,000. AmeriCares also helped the center meet 40 percent of its annual income goal in just the first third of the year. The plan is for the Limb and Brace Center to be completely independent in ten years.
BRAC employees are trained to operate every aspect of the center. Its services are crucial not only for the thousands of Haitians who lost limbs in the 2010 earthquake but also for Haitians who need braces because of accidents or physical disability.
Herve receives physical therapy at the center and will be able to return throughout his life for adjustment and repairs to his prosthetics. “I want to thank BRAC and all the employees working there,” said Herve. “Keep on giving good services and I’ll be with you til the end!”
Learn more about our Haiti earthquake response here.
Learn more about our ongoing work in Haiti here.
Read More Donate Now