The current proportion of international aid going towards disabled people is insufficient. Only 0.1% of all aid in 2021 went towards projects primarily focusing on disability. Therefore, Motivation, an international development charity and social enterprise focusing on wheelchair provision and assistive technology (AT) in low-income countries, is so important.

The Stats

The WHO’s Global Report on Assistive Technology states, “Access to assistive technology is a human right and a precondition for equal opportunities and participation.” Around the world today, more than 75 million people need appropriate wheelchairs and services to enable mobility and unleash their full potential in society. Four in five people live in developing countries, and sadly, less than 10% have access to the support they are entitled to, preventing millions of people from contributing to society. Furthermore, without AT, disabled people and their families encounter restricted opportunities for education and employment, leading to diminished health and well-being, as well as heightened rates of poverty.

Poverty and disability exist in a vicious cycle, with poverty leading to disability and disability worsening poverty. Delivering wheelchair services to those who need them can, therefore, help break the link between poverty and disability as well as a long list of societal benefits. The majority of the world’s disabled people live in the Global South, and only 0.5% of international aid emphasizes disability inclusion. This is where Motivation’s wheelchair initiative comes in.

Motivation

Motivation, registered as a U.K. charity in 1992, launched several projects last year in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and India. They implement a “user-focused and user-led” approach to their programs and products. It has a long and successful history of providing appropriate wheelchairs, their most widespread AT product. Appropriate wheelchairs suit the user’s needs and their living environment. A one-size-fits-all approach using the cheapest wheelchair can cause secondary injuries or disabilities and be discarded quickly. Motivation, therefore, designs and supplies wheelchairs that fit correctly are safe, durable and affordable. It also hires physiotherapists, clinicians and professionals for mobility training and maintenance so users can modify and repair their chairs. 

Motivation had an incredibly impactful 2022. More than 1,300 disabled people received wheelchairs that fit their needs, along with mobility and life skills training. The absence of AT for children with disabilities results in lower school completion and poverty later in life. Motivation’s efforts saw more than 430 disabled children regularly attend primary school, develop improved eating habits, and become more included in their families and communities. Disability is rarely just a burden for one person; families, dependents, schools and local government are also affected. Therefore, on a grand scale, Motivation impacted at least 99,000 lives last year — a testament to the power of assistive technology and Motivation’s wheelchair initiative in developing countries. 

Why Motivation’s Wheelchair Initiative Matters 

Motivation’s wheelchair provision unleashes human potential. Through assistive technology, countless individuals gain the ability to actively contribute to the workforce, unlocking untapped potential and broadening the talent pool. Proving appropriate wheelchairs can also foster more significant social and political stability. By reducing the association between disability and poverty, people’s economic conditions improve, leading to greater social harmony. Additionally, empowering individuals to lead independent lives alleviates stress on strained health care and welfare systems in developing countries.

Fighting poverty creates jobs and market expansion, and Motivation’s vision is no different. Access to wheelchairs drives market activity for products and services, fostering job growth in the technology sector and its affiliated industries. This cycle generates economic advantages and is pivotal in global economic development. It improves cooperation among nations, promoting global trade in the disability needs sector.

– Sam Waterkeyn
Photo: Flickr