Help people to help themselves

All over the world people use wheelchairs. In some cases on temporary basis, or for the rest of their lives. In well-developed countries it is only natural that anybody who requires a wheelchair has access to one. Insurance companies and government agencies take care of this. Unfortunately this is not the case all over the globe. In most African countries people cannot count on their government to get a wheelchair. Health insurers are rare or non-existent, there performance is poor and there is a lack of both funds and wheelchairs.

Tanzania Wheelchairs Foundation (TWF) wants to improve the availability of wheelchairs in a sustainable way.

A new future

Due to a lack of social services people with disabilities often lead a miserable and passive existence. TWF wants to give them a future again. With the mobility that a wheelchair offers chances of a more dignified life increase. Finding employment becomes easier, children can go to school, people can pick up their social lives again.

Our goal

We aim to help physically disabled people with a suitable wheelchair. We believe that local wheelchair production is the only sustainable solution for the shortage of wheelchairs. Donations from individuals and organizations enable us to provide technical and financial support to existing and starting wheelchair workshops. By gradually expanding the number of workshops, a national network is being formed to improve wheelchair services in all regions.

• 1% of the population in East Africa needs a wheelchair,
• 5% of those actually have a wheelchair.

—World Health Organisation