Wheelchairs for Kids
Olly's Wheelchair
Australia
In 1996, the idea of making wheelchairs for impoverished, disabled children in under resourced countries came from a member of the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club in Queensland, Australia. In 1998, Rotary Club of Scarborough adopted the concept and the project began in Western Australia as "Wheelchairs for Kids"
Initially trialling production in 3 schools and 2 prisons the project then moved to a workshop for disadvantaged youths in Wangara Western Australia, with Gordon Hudson as voluntary CEO and Brother Olly Pickett as workshop manager. A little later, the Rotary Club of Scarborough and the Christian Brothers jointly rented a dedicated workshop for wheelchairs to be manufactured by retiree volunteers. The project gained momentum and the workshop had to move to larger premises and then was expanded again.
By June 2011 Br Olly Pickett and his Wheelchairs for Kids charity had produced their 20,000 wheelchair donated to disabled children overseas by the end of this month.
In May 2011, they sent 327 wheelchairs to Iraq and, in June, will send 130 wheelchairs to Tanzania and 130 wheelchairs to Vietnam, all built with volunteer labour.
Br Olly told The Record at his Wangara workshop that they have a minimum of 104 volunteers a week working at the workshop and hundreds of ladies making rugs, cushins and toys throughout Australia.
He also said hundreds of people were raising funds and that twice a year the organization sent out a newsletter telling people where their funds have gone.
A total of 200 schools are involved in the project and 170 Rotary clubs and Lions clubs throughout Australia, including Curtin University.
This is a fine example of the power of partnerships as well as the power and value of volunteer labour where people are fires with a desire to improve the lot of those without power or the means to survive.
The episode can also be watched on video via http://7pmproject.com.au/video.htm?movideo_p=39696
It is alos embedded below. The section is about a third of the way through the Clip.
Other Vodeos
We visited Vanuatu (Video)
Occupational Therapist, University Lecturer, Dr Janet Richmond visits Vanuatu.
Watch Melissa'a story (Video)
a double amputee from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
More information can be found on this website: http://www.wheelchairsforkids.org/
