As always, there were moments that reminded me exactly why we do this work. I met families who took part in our agriculture project back in 2023 and are still farming today - feeding their families and building small businesses from what started as a one-off intervention. I met women who had safe pregnancies and healthy births with the support of our midwives. I met people in remote parts of the settlements who have been reached, for the first time ever, with wheelchairs and prosthetics through our outreach clinics.

There was joy - real joy - in those conversations. The kind that comes with dignity being restored, with people being able to provide for themselves, and with inclusion becoming the new norm in communities.

A Growing Gap Between Need and Support

But alongside that, this trip felt different. It was my first time back since the widespread international aid cuts last year, and the change was obvious. The level of need has deepened, and, honestly, in some moments, it felt overwhelming.

One woman I spoke to now walks four hours each way to reach our centre for physiotherapy, after losing the transport support she once relied on. I spent time with a father caring for twenty-two children - his own and his late brother’s - with no food rations to support them. And in Bidibidi, a healthcare leader shared that some people are choosing to return to South Sudan, despite the insecurity, because “they would rather die in their home country than in a foreign land.”

These aren’t isolated stories - they reflect a wider shift. And being there, hearing them first-hand, I was so saddened by the injustice of it: that these people, who have already experienced such hardship, conflict and displacement, are now facing even more suffering.

Ready To Respond

But more than saddened, I felt incredibly frustrated - and I know this is a sentiment that many of my colleagues in our local team feel too. Because, in many cases, we already have most of what we need to respond. We have a dedicated, experienced local team who are still there, still showing up every day. We have the relationships in the community, the trust, the infrastructure. We know what works.

But we don’t always have the resources to meet the need in front of us.

We have patients who need the care we can provide, but can’t afford to travel to reach it. We have an agriculture programme that we know can work, but not enough funding to provide seeds to everyone who needs them. We have outreach clinics ready to go - but only one vehicle shared across two countries, meaning clinics are sometimes cancelled. We have a huge waiting list of children in need of wheelchairs, and a team of experienced technicians able to fit them, but currently no supply of paediatric chairs.

Where Hope Can Take Root

I wanted to share this honestly because, while we often tell stories of hope and transformation - and those stories are real - they are not the whole picture. As a fundraiser, I'm often tempted to fit stories into a neat, happy, hopeful narrative, but the reality is much more complex.

But this doesn’t mean hope is lost.

If anything, it makes it clearer where hope can take root. Hope is not about pretending everything is fine, or simple sunny optimism, but recognising that these challenges are not insurmountable. The foundations are there. What’s missing is the support to keep going and to reach further.

So I share this not to diminish the impact we’re having together, but to invite you further into it. There is still so much more to be done - and the opportunity to make a tangible difference is right in front of us.

If you’re able to stand with us at this time - whether through giving, prayer, or simply staying engaged with this work - I want you to know that your support is deeply needed and genuinely matters. It helps ensure that people are not left behind, and that the hope we see glimpses of can continue to grow.

Thank you for being part of this with us.

It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the year! As we reflect on the past six months, we are so grateful for the incredible progress happening across our projects – all made possible through your prayers, generosity, and partnership.

It’s been a while since we shared a big update, so this news item is a little longer as we celebrate some of the most joyful highlights from recent months. Be sure to read to the end for an exciting opportunity this autumn to get involved alongside our (brave? slightly crazy?) CEO Carwyn and a team of other intrepid supporters!

CENTRE DE RÉADAPTATION DE GRÂCE 

On July 26th, we inaugurated our brand new Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre! Our local team was joined by the Director of the Ministry of Health for the North of Haiti, as well as some of our UK and US team and trustees, to celebrate this exciting milestone.

It was incredibly poignant to stand alongside Dr Toussaint and Pastor Gideon –  with whom we first dreamed our Haiti dream, standing in a field back in 2005 – as we took this exciting step together. This new centre feels like a true answer to prayer, and our special thanks go to our amazing partners, the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, Haiti Rehab Schweiz, Walkabout Foundation and Free Wheelchair Mission, whose continuous support has made this - and everything still to come - possible. 

MAISON DE GRÂCE

After many months of searching, we were delighted to find a location for our respite home for children with disabilities, which will be called ‘Maison de Grâce’ - in memory of one of our earliest Maison children whose life was a testament to the transformation that care, love and hope can make possible. The next steps will be to make the building accessible (including adding ramps and railings) – and we hope to start providing respite care for up to 20 children, three and a half days a week, in August!

A GROWING TEAM

After months of recruitment, our HHA Haiti Hub team now includes 30 permanent members of staff, including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, administration staff, a vocational therapist, psychologist, cleaners, laundry staff and security guards. In addition we are delighted to have secured the services of a visiting Urologist; a much-needed skill sadly in very short supply in Haiti. Over the past few weeks, we’ve run several workshops with this new team, including not only role-specific training, but also sessions on leadership, teamwork, and HHA culture. This team will grow to almost 50 when we open the Maison de Grâce. We can’t wait to see what they will accomplish!

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Your support, encouragement and prayers are truly invaluable as we build our nest in Haiti, little by little. Piti piti zwazo fè nich li!

Ellie said:

Being born with a disability hasn't held me back. But for some people with a disability, particularly those living in remote regions of the developing world, every day is a struggle.

We sincerely thank Ellie for taking the time out of her busy life to present the appeal for us. We also thank the BBC for giving HHA this opportunity to reach so many people with our message, allowing us to raise a transformative amount of money for our work.

You can watch a short video of Ellie at the BBC here.

The BBC Appeal formed part of a wider appeal we ran in May called Matched May. Named so because one of our funding partners generously offered to match fund all donations given in May. The initial target of £30,000 came and went with the total figure eventually exceeding £90,000, over £180,000 once the match funding was added! We have been overwhelmed by the response and can't wait to share more about how this money will be used to support those with disabilities in South Sudan, Uganda and Haiti. Read more about Matched May here.

Thank you once more to all those who made our BBC Radio 4 Appeal, and Matched May, a huge success!

• Enabling us to provide wheelchairs, custom-made prosthetics and orthotics, and rehabilitation to people with disabilities in South Sudan and the refugee settlements of northern Uganda.
• Providing health and nutrition education from our centres in Uganda and South Sudan, with the aim of empowering beneficiaries to improve their wellbeing in the long term.
• Supporting the children, staff and carers at our respite home for children with disabilities in Haiti – providing care, education, and rehabilitation, especially as we move the centre to a new home.
• Reaching more people with disabilities with our agriculture projects in the Ugandan refugee settlements – providing seeds, tools, land, and farming & business training, to give them a sustainable source of not only food, but also income.
• Supporting the setup of our spinal cord injury rehabilitation centre at our new Haiti Hub, where we’ll provide specialised care that is extremely difficult to access in this part of the country.
• Providing wheelchairs and training across Haiti through our amazing network of local partners, giving mobility and dignity to people with disabilities – the majority of whom have never had a wheelchair before.

Your generosity will enable us to do all of this and more – and we can’t wait to update you on the impact of your support. In the meantime, on behalf of all the people that will be touched by what you came together to achieve in May, thank you.

This major global acknowledgment is a true testament to the team’s dedication in making a real difference in the lives of vulnerable households and communities. With this incredible honour, HHA EA is empowered to expand the impact of the winning project, providing critical agriculture and livelihood support to further 100 vulnerable refugee-households in 2024/25.

By strengthening food security and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for the most vulnerable, the project is not only combating hunger, but also breaking down barriers and stigma against people with disabilities. It’s absolutely wonderful to see this holistic approach recognised for its innovation and celebrated by the global community!

Our heartfelt thanks to the prestigious awards jury for recognising the exceptional efforts and impact of the HHA EA Nutrition team. This acknowledgment will inspire us all to continue our commitment to creating positive change.

Key Statistics (since opening in September 2023)

• 5600 outpatients seen
• 4000 laboratory tests
• 6200 received health education
• 84 pregnant women registered
• 72 prosthetic & orthotic devices provided
• 36 wheelchairs & trikes given
• 230 physiotherapy sessions provided

Highlights from New Hope Kajo-Keji

• Clean running water is now available in the clinic thanks to the addition of a pump, control unit, insulated water towers and sinks. This is a huge upgrade and will dramatically improve working conditions for our team and their patients.
• Electricity is now available onsite thanks to installation of a generator, solar panels and battery storage.
• Prosthetic limbs, and wheelchair distributions are taking place at the clinic thanks to outreach mobile clinics provided by our team from New Hope BidiBidi.  
• First baby born at New Hope Kajo-Keji! - although deliveries are usually referred to the government hospital, one baby girl decided to make an appearance quicker than expected. Our amazing midwife stepped in and delivered a healthy baby girl.

Story for New Hope Kajo-Keji: Rose and Solomon

Rose lives in Kajo-Keji with her son Solomon, having returned from BidiBidi refugee settlement in Uganda. Although she has to walk three hours to reach the clinic, Rose has been making use of the services available since the clinic opened in September 2023, and has returned three times with Solomon when he has been suffering from a fever and diahorrea.

Rose and Solomon visited the clinic again in March, when Solomon was diagnosed with Malaria through a rapid test and was given medication to combat the disease. Malaria is the most common case the team seen at the clinic.

Rose commented that the team have really helped and cared for her and she was grateful that HHA have empowered a local team. Our team provided Solomon with more than just medication – they also showed him love, and gave his mother hope in difficult circumstances. Ultimately, this is what HHA’s work is all about, and what we strive to achieve with every beneficiary that we see at New Hope Kajo-Keji.

Throughout May 2024, we are running our Matched May Appeal where all donations towards our global disability work will be doubled by a generous donor. This is an amazing opportunity for your donations to go twice as far. HHA is also being featured on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal presented by Paralymic gold medalist Ellie Simmonds so tune in and find out more about how to support this important work! Get all the info here.

• We’re delighted to have established a new partnership with a local medical university (which we’ve been working alongside for many years to offer training opportunities to their students). This new partnership will be mutually beneficial, providing us with an incredible space that will be the new home for some of our projects, as well as enabling the university to take the first step towards becoming a teaching hospital.
• Our disability rehabilitation unit will be moved to this new location, and will include a men’s ward, women’s ward, physiotherapy room and vocational training room. This will enable us to continue providing life-saving and life-changing care to patients with spinal cord injuries, who otherwise have very few options in this part of the country.
• This new home will also house our Wheelchair Distribution Centre, from which we will continue providing custom-fitted chairs with our in-country team and network of local partners. Our programme continues to transform lives every week, providing dignity, mobility and independence to people across the country, many of whom have never had a wheelchair before.
• Of course, we also visited Maison de Benediction, our respite home for children with disabilities, where the kids were all on great form (we were met with the usual barrage of hugs as we walked in!). We visited a number of possible new locations for MdB this week, and are committed to choosing a new home that will enable us to continue giving the children the level of care and support they need, as well as including areas for education, therapy and play - stay tuned!

After a week on the ground, we are so excited for this next chapter and all God's going to do – but we’re also aware that this new beginning is going to require significant energy, momentum and funds. That's why we're incredibly excited that between May 5th and May 11th, we're going to be featured on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal, in a segment presented by paralympian Ellie Simmonds!

This is an incredible opportunity for us to raise awareness and funds for our disability work – and what's more, for the whole of May, thanks to match funds, all donations up to the value of £5,000 will be doubled until we reach our goal of £30,000. That means we have the potential to raise a massive £60,000 for our global disability projects, including those that we are currently transitioning in Haiti. Please do tune in and give what you can – when all donations will go twice as far!

A few more of the things we’ve bought that have made a real difference…

Battery chargers - enabling us to keep vital equipment (like blood pressure machines, thermometers and calculators) working, even with limited access to electricity

Zip ties - helping our technicians to make specialised adaptations to wheelchairs, to make sure that beneficiaries are comfortable and well-seated, and most importantly to help avoid pressure sores 

Footballs and coloured chalks - for students at Amazing Grace School

LED light strips - used for our sensory classroom at Amazing Grace and in New Hope Rehabilitation Centre BidiBidi - to create safe, inclusive and educational spaces for children and adults with disabilities

Post-partum maternity pads - to provide dignity to new mothers at our clinic in South Sudan

Coloured chopping boards - to help improve food hygiene standards in our staff kitchens in both BidiBidi and Kajo-Keji

Safety glasses and ‘quality’ power tools for our workshop, where we custom-make prosthetics and orthotics

Brackets and wallplugs (particularly difficult to buy in-country) that enabled us to construct shelves in our pharmacy in Kajo-Keji - keeping the space organised and tidy!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this campaign making the purchase of these small, but hugely important, items possible.

1. GLOBAL DISABILITY CARE

We continued to provide empowerment, dignity, and support to people with disabilities in Haiti, Uganda, and South Sudan. Last year, we provided over 1,450 wheelchairs, more than 300 prosthetic and orthotic devices, and thousands of rehabilitation sessions. We also opened a new rehab garden for patients with spinal cord injuries in Haiti, hosted another wonderful 'Night to Shine' for young people with special needs, and got a new vehicle in Uganda, enabling us to reach more people through mobile clinics.

The next phase of the project began with food distributions for all of the households, to address immediate food insecurity (particularly acute at the moment following recent ration cuts in the settlements) and ensure participant households are physically able and strong enough to participate in the project. We also distributed seeds to all the households, which have now been planted. When these crops are harvested, they will provide a sustainable source of food, as well as livelihood opportunities for some families that are able to sell their extra produce.

On top of the provision of resources and land, a key part of this project is training - crucial to making a lasting impact. As well as education sessions on planting, cultivation, business skills and income generation for the 1,100 households involved in the project, we have also recently begun nutrition training for the beneficiaries at New Hope Rehabilitation Centre. This means that while they wait for treatment - whether that’s a wheelchair, physiotherapy or fitting for a prosthetic - they are provided with information about basic nutrition and food groups, empowering them with knowledge to improve their own health.

Stay tuned for updates on this life-changing project!

The inauguration day was incredibly joyful, with community leaders, government representatives, and HHA staff and supporters coming together to celebrate this long-standing dream becoming a reality. East Africa Programmes Manager, Isaac Taban, said: “Before the war, there were 44 clinics running [in this area]; now, there are less than 20 health facilities. With the opening of this clinic today, the community is very excited, because they are going to benefit from the services that we’re going to offer.” Carwyn Hill, CEO and co-founder, said “That first promise that we made to this community - to help - has finally come to fruition today, seven years later. We’ve never lost hope during that time, and it was amazing to hear the community today, so thankful and appreciative of the services, and so desperate for them. In the coming weeks you will see this clinic fully up and running!”

We are incredibly grateful to everyone that helped to make this possible. Special thanks go to the UNHCR, The Peter Stebbings Memorial Charity, Eleanor Rathbone Charitable Trust, the Favell Family, our incredible church partners, every single person that donated to our East Africa Rebuild Hope Appeal earlier this year, and those that wish to remain anonymous. Your generosity means the world.