Giving Hope to Amputees in the Dominican Republic

Giving Hope to Amputees in the Dominican Republic

Graviel Nuel Jacobo knows firsthand what living without a limb in the Dominican Republic is like. When Graviel was 6 years old, he was climbing into a train car looking for food for himself and his family, when he fell, and the train ran over his right leg. For years, he was on crutches, struggling to attend school and do basic day-to-day activities. When Graviel was 13, he was working with a Mission in La Romana, Dominican Republic. The Christian organization raised funds for Graviel to fly to the United States and receive his first prosthetic limb. Graviel did not take this generosity for granted and decided to pay it forward by starting Centro De Protesis, a nonprofit facility that helps amputees like himself in the Dominican Republic.

Over 12% of the Dominican Republic population has a disability. Due to a lack of healthcare facilities, untreated or poorly treated minor infections often lead to amputations. Many Dominicans and Haitian immigrants work in fields, with little safety regulation and a high incidence of farm accidents resulting in amputations. There are currently over 1,000,000 people in the Dominican Republic with amputated or severely deformed limbs. Most of those do not have access to prosthetics, making their life very difficult.

Graviel has become involved with various Rotary Clubs throughout the United States, working to gain support and spread the word for his mission. The Interact Clubs of Southwest Michigan have visited and volunteered at Centro De Protesis over the years. The St. Joseph Rotary Club is leading efforts in Southwest Michigan to support Centro De Protesis.

The cost for a prosthetic limb averages $600. Your donation helps provide someone without hope walk confidently into the future and arms to open the door to independence and self-sufficiency!