Over the past two days, 96 former graduates of Second Mile Haiti’s Malnutrition Treatment Center have had their teeth cleaned and their vision tested. A total of 192 teeth have been restored to optimal health—that’s 192 dental fillings done and dusted.
This year we wanted to ensure that the students in our School Program had the best chance of success! We wanted them to be able to see their teachers and their school work. We didn’t want tooth aches to result in missed days of school. So, we organized for a Haitian Ophthalmologist and a Haitian Dentist-Oral surgeon to come to our center with their teams.
We planned for 3 full days for screenings, cleanings, and eye exams for 140 children.
Dr Djimy Beau- Soleil and his team from EyeCare, came with an impressive battery of equipment and the ability to screen for a variety of visual impairments. They kept our team busy picking up specialty eye drops from local pharmacies and dishing out follow-up visits for corrective lenses.
Dr. Lemuel Sergil’s team from Societe d'appui a la Sante Medico-Dentaire dental clinic was amazing to watch. They set up their clinic operation swiftly in one of our open prenatal consultation rooms.
They cared for the children with such kindness and gentleness that there were many proud, sparkling smiles and only a hand full of tears. Many more smiles than tears!
By the end of this week 140 kids will truly be ready for school—equipped with glasses if they need them and a full set of bright white chompers. Or, a not-so-full set in some cases.
We’re so grateful to our partner S.H.A.R.E. who secured funding for the vision and dental care. And we are so grateful to all of you who have invested in these spaces, our team, and the sustainability of our organization. Your support for Second Mile Haiti means we can continue to reach for more and more holistic ways to support families. Days like this are possible because of YOU.
Because the 2022 school year finished only two weeks ago—and the new year starts in 2 weeks—there was only a small window in which to pull off this massive endeavor. It was ALL hands on deck.
While our Program Managers Kerline and Louino handled the clinic flow, reviewed report cards, and took down details for the new school year, our psychology team—Dacheline, Magdalie, and Daniel— interviewed the kids and their parents to get an idea of what challenges might present in the coming months.
A LOT of prep work went into this day. But it was so worth it. It’s always heartwarming, and at times overwhelming, to see how far these children have come—from their days at the Malnutrition Treatment Center to their years as preschoolers and elementary students.
