Global Wheelchair Program

The Canadian Wheelchair Foundation/Fondation Chaise Roulante Canada, founded in late 2002, is an integral part of The Global Wheelchair Program (GWP); an alliance of independent international organizations working to deliver wheelchairs and mobility assistance to people worldwide.

Program Partners include:

• Canadian Wheelchair Foundation/Fondation Chaise Roulante Canada
• American Wheelchair Mission
• Wheelchair Foundation Great Britain and Ireland

Need

It is estimated that more than 100 million people throughout the world are in need of a wheelchair but cannot afford one. These people cannot be helped by canes, crutches, walkers or prosthetics. A wheelchair is their only hope for mobility and independence.

On average, roughly 3% of the population in developing states are physically disabled and unable to afford a wheelchair. The majority of these people live in moderate or extreme poverty.

There are many reasons for the large prevalence of physical disability worldwide. These factors include: war, disease, accident, lack of health care, and aging among others. Due to civil unrest, landmines and unexploded ordnances and lack of government records, the percentage of physically disabled is likely grossly underestimated. Although international efforts such as the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), have aided in reducing the specific problem of landmines, some states continue to produce, sell, and use these weapons against civilian populations. As a result, the need for wheelchairs will continue.

Ongoing conflict and civil war has put the disability rates in countries like Angola as high as 20%. States including Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia and Sierra Leone are not far behind.

The hardship immobility creates is felt more in developing states than anywhere else. The physically disabled are often unable to gain education or employment and are viewed as an added burden in places where mere survival is no guarantee.

Impact

The delivery of a wheelchair to a person without mobility improves the quality of life of the entire family. In gaining mobility, persons with disabilities are given an opportunity to integrate themselves into society; by attending school, going to work, and becoming a part of the community.

A wheelchair provides people with the opportunity to better their own lives. Through the gift of mobility, persons with physical disabilities are able to contribute to both family and community life in new ways. Recipients are not the only ones whose lives are altered by the presence of a wheelchair. By a physically disabled person gaining increased mobility, human resources, be it from family or friends, are being freed for both employment and education.

It is estimated that an average of 10 lives are impacted in a positive way with the delivery of every wheelchair.

Process

A donation of $150 provides a physically disabled person in need with a wheelchair. The brand new wheelchairs we deliver retail for over $600 in a medical supply store. Our ability to buy bulk containers of 100 to 280 wheelchairs from the manufacturer allows us to purchase new, sturdy wheelchairs at a fraction of the cost.

We are able to ship one brand new wheelchair in a bulk container to the country of destination and deliver it to the door of a person in need for $150.

Please, see Our Program for complete details.

Meet the People of Canadian Wheelchair Mission.

People

Our Office

• Christiana Flessner - Executive Director
• Joy Kilback - Assistant, Administration
• Amara Hunt - Corporate Sponsorship (currently on leave for Grad school)
• Linda Whitehead - Strategic Development

Volunteers

• Knights of Columbus Volunteers
• Rotary Districts Office

Christiana has been Executive Director of the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation since its inception in late 2002. Volunteering her time for the first 14 months of the organization’s existence allowed a strong support base to be built by her dedicated efforts and every dollar collected to be used to deliver wheelchairs.

Christiana works closely with the Canadian and foreign governments, international foundations, Rotary clubs, districts and zones and Knights of Columbus councils and states across the country. Her speaking presentations take her on the road for most of the year, but translate into ever growing support for the global wheelchair program and alliances with major foundations and organizations in many countries.

Christiana has been a Rotarian since 2001, is a past Assistant Governor of Rotary District 5050, a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Semiahmoo, White Rock, British Columbia, speaks German, English, Spanish and French fluently and has participated in hundreds of wheelchair distributions around the world. She was recently recognized as a Not-for-Profit-Leader by the Surrey Board of Trade through their Surrey Women in Business awards.

Our Program

The Canadian Wheelchair Foundation/Fondation Chaise Roulante Canada is an independent Canadian registered charity with the goal to deliver brand new, free wheelchairs to persons with physical disabilities throughout the world who are without mobility or the means to acquire a wheelchair. With a strong focus on developing and newly industrialized states, the Canadian Wheelchair Foundation continues to change the lives of people and communities with a gift that extends hope, dignity, freedom and independence to all.