Projects of Hands Across Borders
In the last years we have had many interactions with our handtherapists in different countries. Some of the stories
we’d like to share with you here.
Working Visit Nepal 2025
In November 2025, I, Dominique ten Dam, together with the Working Hands team, made a working visit to Lalgath, Nepal. Below you will find my report of this special experience.
Our Working Hands team consisted of five surgeons of various nationalities, one operating room nurse, and myself, as the only hand therapist. Additionally, two specialists from Kathmandu and one from Lalgath were involved.
The hospital in Lalgath has both inpatient and outpatient departments. The outpatient clinic focuses primarily on (early) diagnosis, medication, and education. The inpatient clinic provides surgeries and aftercare. In total, the team operated on and treated 19 patients. The patients stayed at the hospital for three weeks, which also provided accommodation and meals for the patients’ families.
Mumbai, India 2025
From 7 to 14 September 2025, Marjolein Wind and Ellen de Boer traveled to Mumbai on behalf of Hands Across Borders to teach for two days. After this, both also gave presentations at the APFSSH-APFSHT & APWA-ISSH-SHTI Congress.
On the first teaching day at Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital, also known as Sion Hospital. Teaching focused on orthotic interventions related to live patients. They were able to offer the book Orthotic Intervention for the Hand & Upper Extremity thanks to sponsorship from the Dutch Society for Hand Therapy (NVHT).
The second teaching day at DY Patil University, Derpartment of Occupational Therapy, was also a success, with 75 eager and enthusiastic students. Here, in depth teaching was provided on stiffness and flexor and extensor tendon injuries, all linked to live patients.
Teaching Ukrainian students, 2023
Hands across borders (HAB) participated in an educational project organized by the department of physiotherapy of the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Utrecht, the Netherlands. The colleagues of HAB offered a two-day course about the rehabilitation of the hand.
The Universities of Applied Sciences Utrecht and Leiden hosted twelve master physiotherapy and occupational therapy students and two lectures from the Ukrainian Cristian University of Lviv for one month.
The goal of this international experience for the Ukrainian students, was to exchange knowledge on different subjects regarding rehabilitation (cardio-vascular, neurological, musculoskeletal and sports). Other goals were to learn from and with each other, to exchange differences and similarities in physiotherapy and health care systems (with Dutch students and lecturers) and to feel more comfortable in professional English.
Skype meetings with the HAB crew
The HAB ‘crew’ still going strong and having fun during their Skype sessions making plans for organizing webinars & expanding cooperation worldwide.
A little peak at the third HAB Webinar
If you want to see a little snippet form our third HAB Webinar, check out our facebook page.
Introduction to HAB Webinars
A little introduction into HAB webinars: Before COVID-19 started we held a discussion in our HAB meeting in October 2019 about how we could share knowledge without physically having to travel to different countries.
Myanmar, january 2017
Myanmar has a population of 51 million with Mandalay accommodates around 1.2 million inhabitants. An estimated 200 physiotherapists are working in Myanmar and no Occupational Therapists.
Myanmar, january 2016
In general the need for developing skills and knowledge for therapists is high. The surgeons are well trained and up to date with current surgical techniques and post-operative treatment regimens while the therapists sometimes have insufficient knowledge and experience to deal with the variety and number of patients.
India, november 2015
Hands across Borders was invited by the principal of the JPP College Mysore by Dr Kavitha Raja to conduct a workshop on the rehabilitation of the hand.
Nepal, november 2015
On the 15th of November the first meeting took place between the staff of Nepal Cleft and Burn Centre (Kirtipur Hospital) and us.
Nepal, november 2014
Early in 2014 Hands Across Borders (HAB) plans were made for a fourth visit to Nepal. For this project three new therapists were available.