The Siloe Project Dba Pazapa

Rating: 5 stars 14 14 reviews

Nonprofit Issues (NTEE):

Blind & Visually Impaired Centers, Developmentally Disabled Centers, Disabilities, Human Services, International, International Development

Address:

217 Los Angeles Blvd San Anselmo CA 94960 USA

Mission:

Support the pazapa center for special needs children in jacmel, haiti

Programs:

1. Pazapa special educationthe pazapa center in jacmel, haiti provides special education and therapy to children with developmental and mental challenges from infancy to late teens. It has a total of 103 children. Following destruction of its previous building by the january 2010 earthquake, the school was relaunched in october 2010 in temporary quarters on land purchased using funding provided by the siloe project. Its early intervention (0-3 years) focuses on working with mothers and other care givers to ensure that stimulation therapy and socialization techniques are learned and carried out of the home. The early school level (4-10 years) emphasizes motor, language and social skills while helping children develop confidence in their abilities. The senior class continues the academic program, assisting those students who can manage a regular school curriculum to be "mainstreamed" in an afternoon public school program. 10 children with multiple, severe handicaps who are unable to attend the school, are enrolled in the home visit program and seen in their own house and community by pazapa teachers and visiting volunteers.

2. Pazapa school for the deafthe pazapa school for the deaf is in its fourth successful year. Currently 30 children attend from junior kindergarten to grade 6. A kindergarten level sign language class is offered to 6 children with a severe language or hearing impairment. The older deaf students were highly successful in the national grade 6 exams.

3. Pazapa family support - small business for families of the disabledthe staff at pazapa and the siloe project believe that the health and development of a child is closely related to the family's economic status. The major concern is the economic status of the mothers who are sole caregivers for the disabled and often unable to work outside the home. Therefore, pazapa has facilitated small independent commercial ventures through business loans to families of pazapa children and also to senior students.

4. Pazapa orthopedic and medical servicesthrough local and international visiting volunteer health professionals, pazapa provides clinical evaluation, orthopedic, neurological and plastic surgery, occupational and physical therapy and rehabilitation for physically handicapped children. Cure international casts and corrects free of charge clubfeet patients under the age of two, with pazapa follow-up averaging 19 patients per month. Six surgical patients with orthopedic foot, knee and hip deformities were treated in may 2010 by the salva vida team. There is a total of 23 children on seizure medication. The pazapa staff nurse and a local doctor, both funded by the siloe project, provide pre- and post-operative care.

5. Pazapa rural outreach rural outreach has brought help to over 300 children with physical and cognitive disabilities in mountainous rural southeast haiti areas who are unable to easily reach jacmel. This initiative is supported both by the siloe project and our partner, children's blind mission. Pazapa now has a total of six outreach locations with monitors and one assistant to the outreach coordinator. The monitors, who are community-based rehabilitation workers, are working closely with parent groups and identifying areas that need improvement.