They are PEOPLE. They are DAUGHTERS. They are WOMEN. They are SISTERS. They are MOTHERS. They are PROUD. They are STRONG. And they are amputees, asking for nothing more than the chance to mother their children and regain the power to live independent, dignified lives.
After viewing photos and videos of the women that this organization helps, I became determined to help HAMA make a difference in their lives. I’ve also joined forces with Holly Rosen from The Culture Mom, Cristie Ritz King from The Traveling Circus , and we’ve started a campaign on CrowdRise to raise $3,000 to help one woman get the limb she needs. We hope to make this viral effort and start a buzz amongst mom bloggers around the country. So, if you’re reading this, and you’re a blogger, please let us know and we can send photos/copy/inspiration to join our movement. Even the smallest donation will make a difference in these women’s lives. We hope you’ll join us and donate, blog and tweet about it and help us reach our goal. Take a look at the organization’s video – make sure you have tissues handy:
HAMA’s mission is to take in 60 mothers - as well as their children – who have become amputees as a result of the earthquake. They will provide leading-edge, prosthetic treatment to these women, and the maintenance and support to go with it, empowering them to leave productive, fulfilling and independent lives. And these women are excited! Take a look at one of the photos, and you’ll see the joy on this woman’s face.
Wednesday, January 12th marks the 1st anniversary of the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti claiming lives, ruining homes and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Thousands of amputations were performed in the days and weeks after the earthquake in a heroic effort to save the lives of those with limbs that could not be salvaged.
The Haitian Amputee Mother's Alliance (HAMA) is dedicated to providing high-quality prosthetic limbs to the approximately 60 amputee mothers in the V-V-H-F program, along with the fitting, treatment, training, education, maintenance and support necessary to allow these women to integrate their new limbs into their new lives.
The primary mission for HAMA is to provide, each amputee who enters the program, the tools necessary to lead an active, productive and independent life. The Village of Vision Haiti Foundation will also work in conjunction with HAMA to tend to the holistic needs of each amputee and her children, providing: housing, meals, mental health, grief counseling, nutrition/health education and vocational training during the rehabilitation process. VVHF will also be providing job placement, arts and crafts outlets and micro-lending for local business development for each woman entering the program. Read a few of the women’s stories here:
Marie Tana
Age: 27
Marie Tana has four children, the youngest of which is 6-months old and living in the V-V-H-F orphanage because she is not yet able to care for her. Her parents quickly rescued the children from her collapsed home after the quake, but Marie Tana was not freed for days, by which point it was too late to save her crushed arm.
Chrislaine
Age: 20
Chrislaine was trapped under her cousins body for 5 days after the quake. He made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her, allowing Chrislaine to emerge with her left leg crushed but her spirit intact. The first woman admitted to the V-V-H-F women’s camp, Chrislaine has become the unofficial camp caretaker. She is seen above with her temporary prosthesis.
The donations made to HAMA will directly fund the prosthetics portion of the project, not the overall living costs which are provided by donations to VVHF general fund. VVHF is a registered 501c3 & registered NGO, all donations to VVHF (HAMA project) are tax deductible.
Please join Holly,Christie and myself as we spend the next few weeks making a splash across all forms of social media to raise money for HAMA. What’s not to feel better about than helping moms – daughters – sisters – women – girls – who are all are amputees, and who are asking for nothing more than the chance to mother their children and regain the power to live independent, dignified lives? That’s something we can all appreciate. Head over to CrowdRise and donate to this valuable cause. Join our movement to cause change.
Disclosure: I am not being paid for this campaign. This is purely voluntary.
**The photos are courtesy of HAMA’s web site.
