The program provides the graduates with a degree, recognized by the Hatian government and the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthetics as officail proof of training and ability in the rehabilitation technician field.
The educational program in Haiti organized by Handicap International aims to train citizens of Haiti for careers as rehabilitation technicians and orthopedic technicians. The program is designed to provide a recognized degree allowing graduates to work as technicians under the supervision of physical therapists and orthopedic doctors.
The program is targeted for Hatian citizens over the age of 18 with an interest in the rehabilitaiton field as a career.
The program is devided into two degrees with different requirements, the rehabilitation technician degree is 18 months or in-class instruction and practical experience while the orthopedics technician degree is 2 years. Hatian citizens over the age of 18 are allowed to take the course. At the end of both courses the students must pass the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics Exam to graduate.
The program is funded primarily by Handicap International, with additional funding from the United States Agency for International Development.
This program is one of many run by Handicap International, and supported by the United States Agency for International Development. The program was run at Healing Hands for Haiti (http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14990-haiti-health-first-in-haiti-tra…), with instructors from the Universidad de Don Bosco in El Salvador.
The program is well regarded by the public, both international and the Hatian community. Articles have been written in many countries and the program recieved positive news coverege in Hatian news outlets and newspapers. Other emergency response organizations have also taken note of the program, and presented it as a successful relief effort.
Handicap International brings aid to places dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters. In this case the Rehabilitiation Technicians pogram was created in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, during which thousands of Hatians needed orthopedic rehabilitation or prosthetics and there was a significant shortange of specialized medical professionals. The program was created to respond to the need for rehabilitation professionals to deal with the immediate aftermath of the earthquake and the continuing care of those permanently disabled.