On June 15, 1993, Gena Heraty arrived in Haiti. She could not have known then that the country would become her home for the next thirty-two years. She could not have known the children she would meet, the families she would accompany, the earthquakes, political crises, hurricanes, and hardships she would witness. Nor could she have imagined the thousands of lives that would eventually become intertwined with her own. Yet three decades later, Haiti remains where she is.
While June 15 marks the feast day of Sainte Germaine, it also marks another anniversary — the day a young woman from County Mayo, Ireland, stepped onto Haitian soil and began a journey that would shape the rest of her life. When Gena arrived, services for children with disabilities were extremely limited. Many families struggled to access specialised healthcare, rehabilitation, or educational opportunities for their children. Disability was often poorly understood, and many parents faced enormous challenges with little support. Over the years, Gena became part of a growing effort to change that reality.
Working alongside Haitian colleagues, therapists, teachers, caregivers, and families, she helped build programmes designed not only to provide care, but also to promote dignity, inclusion, and opportunity. Today, the NPH Haiti Special Needs Programme supports children and families through rehabilitation, specialised education, residential care, family support, and community outreach. Among its most important services is Kay Ste. Germaine Rehabilitation Center, which provides therapy and rehabilitation for children and adults living with disabilities.
The programme’s growth has unfolded alongside some of Haiti’s most challenging years. From the 2010 earthquake to ongoing insecurity and economic hardship, the need for disability services has remained constant. Through it all, the mission has remained the same: ensuring that vulnerable children and families receive the support they need. Thirty-two years is a significant part of a lifetime. During that time, Haiti has changed repeatedly, and so too have the needs of the children and families served by the programme. Yet one thing has remained constant: a commitment to ensuring that some of the country’s most vulnerable children have access to the support, rehabilitation, and opportunities they deserve.
Today, children like Samuel, whose story is featured in our accompanying article about Kay Ste. Germaine Rehabilitation Center, continue benefiting from services that were far less accessible when Gena first arrived in Haiti in 1993. Thirty-two years after arriving in Haiti, Gena Heraty continues serving children and families through the Special Needs Programme. In a country that has faced extraordinary challenges, that commitment — sustained across three decades — is a remarkable achievement in itself.
