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Canmore Occupational Therapist Prepared for Challenges in Haiticbm Canada
“Watching a young mother feed her infant from a garbage can, I knew my life would be dedicated to poverty alleviation,” says Weaver who grew up in a Christian home. “My underlying motivation to work in emergency settings is motivated by the love and compassion of Christ.” The Canmore, Alberta resident adds, “I decided to work with cbm Canada because of their commitment to being a voice to people living with disabilities in Haiti.” Weaver leaves next week to serve as occupational therapist for cbm Canada, an international Christian humanitarian organization in Haiti over the next six months. “I have been blessed with opportunities to work with some of the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society, both in Canada and abroad,” says Weaver. “My motivation for going to Haiti is to support the country's efforts in both physical and psychosocial rehabilitation.” The 30-year-old studied occupational therapy at Queen's University, which included fieldwork experience in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR). She completed a CIDA internship in Sierra Leone with CAUSE Canada, working with women and girls who had war related injuries and disabilities. When she returned to Canada, Weaver managed the Health & Wellness Department at The Mustard Seed, an inner-city ministry in Calgary, Alberta. She provided occupational therapy to individuals living with mental illness and drug addictions. Most recently, Weaver completed a Master's of Public Health in Developing Countries at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “In emergency settings, individuals with disabilities are often forgotten or ignored,” says Weaver whose passion is to “enable marginalized individuals to participate in their local and global communities.” The occupational therapist believes her training and experience has given her vital skills in providing physical and psychosocial rehabilitation in low-resource settings such as Haiti. Weaver will be the joining six cbm physiotherapists on the ground in Haiti, serving at different hospitals every day. cbm has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, with development projects throughout the country, including five programs for those with disabilities in Port-au-Prince. More than 300,000 people have been injured from the disaster. cbm, Handicap International and a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) are meeting with the Haitian Secretariat of State for Integration of Persons with Disabilities to begin drafting a National Plan on Disability. The plan will create a framework that will channel all efforts by NGOs working on disability. A leading international Christian humanitarian organization, cbm works to meet the needs of persons with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world. For more information, www.cbmcanada.org. Editors note: Interviews and photos available on request. Media Contact: |
Canmore, AB, Feb. 24, 2010 - Heather Weaver was first exposed to true poverty when travelling in China with her family at the age of 18. © Copyright 2004. Christian Blind Mission International. All rights reserved. Privacy & Security.