Get and stay mobile together!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65 million people worldwide require a wheelchair. 20 million affected people, 25% of whom are children, do not receive this aid.* Unfortunately, medical provision of assistive devices is not satisfactorily regulated in every country of the world. The welfare system in many countries does not cover the necessary costs and people with disabilities are faced with having to pay for necessary aids themselves. However, wheelchairs are unaffordable for many people around the world.

The SARIAS Foundation wants to support some of these people and is giving them mobility by providing wheelchairs free of charge to disabled people in need. Be it active wheelchairs, rehab buggies or children’s wheelchairs, the SARIAS Foundation regularly selects the most suitable mobility equipment for children, adolescents and disadvantaged people who have had to give up their mobility for various reasons. The resources are not distributed at random; we carefully determine who requires which resources in advance. Transportation of the wheelchairs is also organised by the SARIAS Foundation. So far, children and young people in Africa and Turkey have received their first or new wheelchairs through this channel. This brings a great deal of relief and independence to their families. It enables children and families to participate in social activities, creates opportunities and helps them to put inactivity behind them.

*(source: Guidelines on the provision of manual wheelchairs in less-resourced settings – World Health Organization 2008)