From boredom to joy: A hand‑crank becomes therapy for Joe after displacement
Saut‑d’Eau, Haiti — A hand‑propelled wheelchair has transformed daily life for eight‑year‑old Joe, a child with paralysis displaced by gang violence in early April 2025. Through World Vision’s disability‑inclusive emergency response, Joe received a mobility device, and his family received hygiene kits—support that restored freedom, dignity, and connection. The intervention is part of wider assistance reaching more than 1,200 displaced families, with over 950 trained and registered for economic support.
Flight from violence leaves a child isolated
When armed groups attacked Saut‑d’Eau on the night of March 31, families fled in panic. Joe and his mother, Guerline, escaped by avoiding the main roads and sheltering in the woods. The journey was especially hard because Joe could not walk—years earlier, an illness had left him paralysed in both legs. “He wasn’t born that way,” says his mother. “I couldn’t afford a wheelchair or a crank.”
In a friend’s home far from their city, safety brought new challenges. “I used to watch the other kids play from the window,” Joe recalls. “I wanted to join them, but I couldn’t.” Without a mobility device, he stayed indoors, bored and isolated, as his mother struggled to meet basic needs.
Compassion steps in: a nurse who listened and acted
Everything shifted when World Vision nurse Jeanine Dulorier met Joe at the shelter. “She was the first person who really saw my son,” says Guerline. “She listened, she cared, and she acted.” World Vision’s emergency response prioritised people with disabilities, pairing essential supplies with tailored support. For Joe, that meant receiving a hand‑propelled wheelchair—his “mobility car”—and for the family, hygiene kits to safeguard health in crowded conditions.
Mobility as therapy: independence, play, and confidence
The impact was immediate. With his chair, Joe began moving independently, navigating the shelter and rejoining childhood routines. “This mobility car is therapy for me,” he says, grinning. What was once a barrier became a bridge to friendship and play. “It’s his favourite toy,” adds Guerline, relieved to see her son outside, engaged, and smiling again.
The hygiene kits—soap, water containers, treatment supplies, and sanitary items—helped the family maintain cleanliness and reduce the risk of disease. Together, mobility support and basic health items restored structure, pride, and well‑being to daily life.
Reaching families at scale—and building resilience
World Vision’s response in Saut‑d’Eau supported over 1,200 displaced families with essential items and prioritised children with special needs for mobility aids and psychosocial support. Joe’s progress mirrors a broader shift: children are re‑engaging with peers, parents are regaining stability, and communities are building resilience amid displacement.
“More than 950 families are already trained and registered to receive an economic fund to face these challenges,” says Nurse Jeanine. For Guerline, that pathway matters: “It will help. Joe must keep going to school, and I need money for some expenses.”
From crisis to inclusion—and a child’s smile
What began as a story of flight and isolation has become one of empowerment and inclusion. Joe’s hand‑crank wheelchair is more than equipment; it is access to education, friendships, and community life. “I used to feel sad all the time,” he says. “Now, I smile and play again.”
In a season of uncertainty, compassionate care and practical tools have turned boredom into joy—one child, one chair, one hopeful step at a time.