Hearts and Hands for Haiti NZ is a Charitable Trust established to provide assistance to the people of Haiti after the 12th January 2010 earthquake which claimed more than 230,000 lives.
Please see our Events page for details of opportunity to hear and meet with anaesthetist and former Oamaru GP, Rev Steve Benford and Dunedin orthopaedic surgeon, Jean Claude Theis on February 20th.
Read about Jean Claude Theis' experience in Haiti at: www.jctheis.blogspot.com
Robyn will be returning to Haiti later in February for further discussions regarding the establishment of a school of physiotherapy in Cap Haitien, including meetings with The Right Honourable Helen Clark, head of the UN Development agency and other UN officials.
We are also looking forward to welcoming to Dunedin Hospital Dr Ogedad, an orthopaedic resident surgeon from Cap Haitien who will spend three months internship here arranged by Mr Jean Claude Theis. This experience should prove invaluable on his return to Cap and help to provide support within the orthopaedic department there for the trainee physiotherapy technicians.
Robyn Couper and physiotherapists Fiona Millard, Claire Hargest and Chris Higgs were in Haiti for varying periods of 4-12 weeks from January to April 2011. They are now back in New Zealand and shared their experiences through a short video and personal exchanges at a civic reception held at the Oamaru Opera House on Wednesday August 10th. Special guest The Right Honourable Helen Clark, head of the United Nations Development Programme, addressed a public meeting of about 350 people speaking on Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Poverty- UN Aid and what we can do to help. See below for full reports from The Oamaru Mail and Otago Daily Times and our "From Haiti"page for team reports.
Because of the success of the physiotherapy programme, Hearts and Hands for Haiti, New Zealand is seeking to partner with the Haitian Heath Authorities, the Evangelical Church of Haiti and the Medical staff at Justinien Hospital to establish a School of Physiotherapy in a building outside Cap Haitien on land owned by ECH
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Please check our Events page to see how you can support further work in Haiti.
Click on this link to view a youtube clip from Dunedin surgeon Ross Pettigrew's DVD of his trip to Haiti with the first medical team and read the reports and blogs of the first and second teams on our "From Haiti" page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA8_cBNh6cc
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Nurse physios with team members Dale Radford, Steve Benford,Kim Laurie, Jean Claude Theis, Ross Pettigrew |
Robyn with Nurse Physios |
Claire Hargest , Fiona Millard, Chris Higgs |
Helen Clark speaks at Haiti fundraiser
Jonathan Chilton-Towle | Thursday, August 11, 2011 12:00 The Oamaru Mail
The Rt Hon Helen Clark (right) with Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton at the Hearts and Hands for Haiti New Zealand fundraiser.
"Tonight will be recorded as a historic moment for the Waitaki District." These were the words of Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton as he welcomed United Nations development programme administrator and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to the Hearts and Hands for Haiti New Zealand (HHH) fundraiser at the Oamaru Opera House last night.
HHH is a North Otago-based charitable trust established to aid victims of the devastating Haitian earthquake of January 2010.
It was founded by Oamaru woman Robyn Couper, thanks to her in-depth knowledge of Haiti from having worked as a missionary there for 33 years.
The relief project has sent New Zealand medical volunteers to help those affected by the quake and subsequent cholera outbreak.
They have also trained Haitian medics and established treatment centres in the city of Cap-Haitien.
Ms Clark heard about the project when HHH surgeon Jean-Claude Theis brought it to her attention on Facebook and she has been a supporter ever since.
Ms Clark recalled visiting Haiti soon after the disaster and she compared it to her experience of visiting Christchurch five days after the February earthquake.
"Because of Christchurch, we know now how the Haitians felt," she said.
But unlike New Zealand, Haiti had no plans or systems in place to withstand and rebuild from a natural disaster.
She praised HHH for giving Haiti a capacity to recover from the deadly earthquake.
"It is like the old saying, 'Do you give a man a fish or do you give him a rod and teach him how to fish?'," she said.
Ms Clark went on to speak of the many hurdles preventing progress in the developing world.
She talked about the many natural disasters that have ravaged the world recently, such as the famine in Africa and the flooding in Pakistan.
Ms Clark also spoke of the problems posed by violent and unstable authoritarian regimes.
The western economic crisis had a massive economic impact on the developing world, she said, as formerly wealthy western nations can no longer afford to buy goods or provide as much international aid.
But her overall message was one of hope. "Times are tough," Ms Clark said. "They are tough in New Zealand, they are tough where I live in the US and they are tough in Europe and the developing world.
"But tough as they are, with a will there is a way to make a difference," she said.
And the Waitaki District certainly made a difference last night: the event raised more than $4000 for HHH New Zealand.
UN support for North Otago Haiti project
Otago Daily Times >>Home » Your Town » Oamaru
By David Bruce on Thu, 11 Aug 2011
The Regions: North Otago | Your Town: Oamaru
Project Hearts and Hands for Haiti co-ordinator Robyn Couper (left) and United Nations Development Programme administrator Helen Clark discusses plans for future help for Haiti at a reception in Oamaru last night. Photo by David Bruce.
A North Otago-driven initiative to provide long-term help to Haiti, still recovering from last year's earthquake, has received support from one of the highest-ranked United Nations administrators - former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.
Last night, Miss Clark made a special trip to Oamaru for a mayoral reception and public presentation by Project Hearts and Hands for Haiti (HHH) on its plans to establish a physiotherapy training programme in Cap Haitien under the direction of Oamaru woman Robyn Couper, who has been a missionary serving in Haiti for more than 40 years.
Miss Couper's association with Oamaru led last year to the formation of Project HHH, initially to provide medical support in Cap Haitien and then long-term assistance.
It was that community-driven support and particularly long-term assistance that attracted the attention of Miss Clark in her role as United Nations Development Programme administrator, and her support last night.
Miss Clark gave a UN perspective on development programmes that provided the best solutions for genuine aid and recovery from disasters around the world.
The mayoral reception, hosted by Waitaki Mayor and Mayoress, Alex and Heather Familton, was held to mark Miss Clark's visit to speak at a public presentation on behalf of Project HHH last night.
At the reception, Miss Clark met members of medical teams sent to Haiti last year and this year through the fundraising efforts of Project HHH.
At the public presentation, Miss Couper outlined plans for a physiotherapy training programme associated with existing health services in Haiti and supervised by an independent health body.
It would train nurses and help develop a limited physiotherapy service at Cap Haitien Justinian Hospital.
The training and service would be modelled on New Zealand practices, with Miss Couper using her knowledge to promote and implement it.
Former Waitaki Mayor Alan McLay had travelled to Cap Haitien and assessed a business case for the unit on a suitable site and using existing buildings.
So far, project HHH has raised more than $180,000 in North Otago, which has been added to by church and community groups across New Zealand.
Miss Clark will address senior pupils from Oamaru's three high schools at Waitaki Boys' High School this morning.
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A community project led by the people of North Otago - open to all supporters! Patron: Mayor Alex Familton, Member of Lions International
Some of our wonderful team members and supporters at the Oamaru Opera House
