Nancy, 10, was born with spina bifida, a condition in which the spine and spinal cord do not form properly while in the womb. She has never been able to walk.
Kenya is home to almost 56 million people, and nearly one million of them live with a disability. Shockingly, over one-third of these cases involve mobility disabilities.
But what's even more concerning is the strong correlation between disability and poverty in Kenya. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, children with disabilities are less likely to have access to financial resources, education, and basic services.
This issue can be attributed to traditional attitudes towards disability, which sees it as a curse that can be spread to others by mere association. As a result, those living with disabilities are often shunned and excluded from society. It's a heart-breaking reality that needs to change.
Despite the many challenges throughout her life, Nancy has faced it all with high spirits, determined to not allow her disability to define who she is.
Her supportive parents do whatever they can to help their beloved daughter live her life to its fullest. They wished for her to have a wheelchair, which would make it much easier for her to go to school, but they just could not afford one on their modest earnings.
Nancy connected with The Walkabout Foundation, one of our distribution partners in Kenya. Upon assessing her condition, the Walkabout team decided that the pediatric wheelchairs they had would not be suitable for her because it did not provide the postural support that she needed and could potentially cause further complications.
Instead, Walkabout customized one of our GEN_2 wheelchairs, which friends like you helped send to Kenya. The GEN_2, which comes in four sizes and can be further adjusted for a proper fit, allows for the kind of customization needed for individuals like Nancy.
Nancy was elated when she received her new wheelchair. Now, she can go to school more easily, in comfort, with the postural support that she needs.
Nancy's life has been transformed in ways she couldn't even imagine before.
Her sweet sensational smile says it all.
There are still an estimated 75 million people worldwide like Nancy who are waiting for a wheelchair but cannot get one on their own. Give someone the gift of mobility today.
Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian organization that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed more than 1.3 million wheelchairs in 94 countries around the world since 2001, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, all at no cost to the recipient.
