Focus

Improving the quality of life for 800+ people with disabilities through access to products and services and peer support. To build confidence, maintain good health, achieve independence through personal mobility, and raise awareness and sense of value amongst family and community.  

Summary

Addresses the gaps in assistive technology (AT) provision and workforce skills and builds on Motivation Africa’s Peer Mentor training, to tackle the barriers and isolation experienced by people with disabilities and the lack of wheelchair services, outreach and follow-up.

Around 700 wheelchairs and 650 other assistive devices will be supplied by Motivation Africa and LDSC and distributed through eight existing wheelchair service partners.

Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, wheelchair technicians and health care staff across the eight services will participate in global-standard training so they can assess, prescribe and fit people with basic (can sit upright without support) and intermediate (need support to sit upright) needs.

The trained staff will be mentored through in-service visits by clinical and technical specialist Motivation Africa staff and Peer Mentor wheelchair users.

This project also addresses the many barriers experienced by people with disabilities by developing a core group of peer trainers to become trainers of trainers and refreshing their skills to lead home and hospital visits to new wheelchair users and lead peer school mentorship to respond to the unmet needs of children reliant on wheelchairs for mobility.

An important part of follow up, frequently overlooked, is capacity for wheelchair repairs in local communities. If overlooked, lack of upkeep causes breakages, resulting in unnecessary replacements or the need to buy spare parts that could have been avoided.

Prolonging wheelchair lifespan eases the burden on Service Centres which may also be considerable distances from where wheelchair users live.

Motivation Africa is dedicated to establishing a network of community-based wheelchair artisans through training and assistance. The project supports technical skills training, empowering 96 individuals to repair, service, maintain, and refurbish wheelchairs using materials readily available.