What comes to mind when you hear the word wheelchair?
Do you picture a pale-blueish seat and handles with spidery, sliver-spoked wheels like the one you saw in the hospital that one time?
That’s not the kind of wheelchair 47-year-old Bishash needed …
The Need
When people with mobility challenges need to get around in everyday life, a different kind of tool serves them better—one that helps them move outside, across uneven terrain or through a busy town, and that helps them go about the business of living. They need a wheelchair that will increase the activities and options they’re able to access.
The Chairs
Bishash received a Rough Rider wheelchair from IOCC in 2014.
A Rough Rider is designed for use by active adults who don’t need extra posture support. It helps them navigate rugged surfaces: Beshash can now get around her neighborhood independently.
Specialized wheelchairs have been just one part of IOCC’s programming in Ethiopia, where we recently concluded a USAID-funded project that built on the earlier initiative, which served 2,900 people. This time, we provided wheelchairs to over 575 people who need them while also increasing the expertise of the professionals who serve them. Wheelchairs and related services like assessment, maintenance, and repairs are now more readily available. In partnership with Cheshire Services Ethiopia, IOCC trained local wheelchair technicians and therapists, and repaired wheelchairs for over 624 clients.
Motivation Moti-Go
This chair is specially designed for children, especially those who need some extra support for healthy posture.
Motivation Rough Terrain
Great for active adults and teens, or adults over 65, this chair offers the means to get around rugged conditions and on uneven surfaces—places a traditional wheelchair can’t go.
Leveraged Freedom Chair
This fast-moving chair is helpful for active adults who don’t need…. chair over obstacles. Its users can move around quickly and independently this way, and the levers convert to armrests for moving in tighter spaces.
YOU Make The Difference
IOCC’s supporters are making it easier for people who need wheelchairs to remain active and independent in their communities. But it’s not just about helping people get around—wheelchairs improve their lives overall, including their overall well-being. And for people with disabilities in this project, average weekly income increased by 250%.
These specialized wheelchairs are just one part of that work. Thanks for being part of it!
