Unlocking the Everyday: How Motivation Africa Celebrated the World Day for Assistive Technology
On 4 June 2026, the world marked the World Day for Assistive Technology under the theme #UnlockTheEveryday.
The day recognises the transformative role that assistive technology plays in enabling people with disabilities to participate fully in everyday life. From wheelchairs and prosthetics to hearing aids and communication devices, assistive technology is far more than equipment—it is a gateway to education, employment, independence, and inclusion.
To mark the occasion, Motivation Africa brought together Motivation Peer Trainers (MPTs) at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Wheelchair Learning Centre for a day of conversations, reflection, and celebration.
Together, they explored one simple but powerful question: How does assistive technology help you unlock the everyday?
The answers were inspiring.
For Walter, an appropriate wheelchair enabled him to return to teaching practice and pursue his professional aspirations.
It also allows him to run his business independently and participate actively in his community.
For Mary Nungari, an appropriate wheelchair is “the bridge between an independent life and a dependent life.” It is the difference between being confined at home and being able to pursue education, contribute to society, and live life on her own terms.
For Carol Wanjira, a spina bifida advocate, basketball player, and Commonwealth Games competitor, an appropriate wheelchair has been instrumental in unlocking opportunities both on and off the court. It has enabled her to excel in sports, lead, and inspire others to believe that disability should never limit their potential.
Anthony Njoroge, a businessman and father of three, shared how an appropriate wheelchair has enabled him to provide for his family, manage his business, and remain actively involved in his children’s lives.
These stories remind us that an appropriate wheelchair does far more than provide mobility—it unlocks possibility.
The celebration was also joined by the JKUAT “Champions” — graduates and professionals in physiotherapy and occupational therapy who are helping to shape the future of assistive technology service delivery.
Among them, Mahino shared how this experience has influenced his professional journey:
This reflects a growing shift in how assistive technology is being taught and understood—not as a standalone intervention, but as a comprehensive, user-centred process grounded in real-world practice and lived experience.
Motivation Africa continues to work closely with institutions of higher learning such as Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania, and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, among others.
These partnerships are strengthening training in wheelchair service provision and assistive technology, ensuring that future health and rehabilitation professionals are equipped with practical skills, user-centred approaches, and a deep understanding of disability inclusion.
Beyond universities, Motivation Africa also works closely with governments, rehabilitation centres, disability organisations, and community structures to strengthen national systems for assistive technology service delivery.
This multi-sector approach is essential in building sustainable and inclusive assistive technology ecosystems across Africa—ensuring that access does not depend on location or circumstance but becomes a right for all who need it.
The Global Reality
Yet, despite these efforts, millions of people around the world still lack access to the assistive technology they need.
Globally, more than 80 million people are entitled to an appropriate wheelchair and the services needed to support their mobility. Four in five of those people live in countries such as Kenya, India, Malawi, and Uganda, yet less than 10% have access to the wheelchairs and services they require.
This lack of access continues to exclude many disabled people from fully exercising their rights and freedoms on an equal basis with others.
At Motivation Africa, we believe that everyone has the right to appropriate assistive technology and quality wheelchair services.
Through partnerships with governments, universities, rehabilitation professionals, communities, and wheelchair users themselves, we are working to remove barriers and build sustainable systems that enable people to thrive.
A Call to Action
World Day for Assistive Technology is more than a celebration. It is a call to action.
Because when people have access to the right assistive technology, they do not simply move—they learn, work, lead, compete, parent, and participate fully in society.
The question is no longer whether assistive technology changes lives.
The question is: how can we ensure that everyone who needs it has access to it?
Click below to watch a recap of our World Day for Assistive Technology celebrations.