Wheelchair program

wheelchair4.jpg, originally uploaded by Cambodia Trust.

On the 29th of October Hadulas Program delivered its first Worldmade Wheelchair to Joel Fernandes. Over the past two years ASSERT and Motivation Australia have been working in collaboration to develop a wheelchair scheme for the people of Timor Leste. They have had huge support from partner / donor organizations including The Leprosy Mission International (TLMI), The Ministry and Social and Solidarity (MSS), The International Labor Organisation, Motivation Australia, and AusAid (ETCAS).

Hadulus aims to provide a comprehensive wheelchair service including assessment, prescription, assembly and fittings of quality chairs to individuals with mobility issues. It also links in with the broader ASSERT services to provide ongoing physiotherapy and education about issues such as pressure sores, mobility training, transfers and promoting independence for people with a mobility disability.

Joel Fernandes is a 23 year old man who sustained a spinal cord injury one year ago in a motor vehicle accident. He had been confined to his house up until recently when he received the first of many Worldmade wheelchairs to be distributed in Timor. It has been a hard road to recovery for Joel, as he has come up against issues such as environment barriers, limited education and information, and limited access to equipment that enables him to move around his home and community.

Joel has been selected as a candidate for the first peer group training that will be run in January 2008. The training aims to increase the skills of people with a disability so they can go on to train other people with a mobility disability to become more independent in daily life through disability education, wheelchair provision and services and positive health promotion. This training will be delivered by two successful international wheelchair users who will give some positive examples and inspiration to the wheelchair users of Timor Leste. Watch this space for a report on that event!