08 May 2022

 The Rotary club of Gaborone on Friday donated 24 wheelchairs to Ministry of Health, for onward distribution to leaners across the country.

Speaking during a hand-over ceremony the club president, Mr Alan Golding said they decided to donate wheelchairs after observing a great shortage of the mobility assistive devices and other equipment in schools. 

He said they visited schools and hospitals to see the condition of the wheelchairs being used and established there was urgent need for the donation. 

“We hope they will ease movement of the beneficiaries to and from school and within the school during lessons,” he said. Mr Golding also explained the need to collect old wheelchairs from which they salvaged parts to rebuild more devices. 

Health ministry permanent secretary, Ms Grace Muzila applauded the Rotary Club for the donation and said the wheelchairs would not only enable recipients to attain mobility and independence, but would also improve their quality of life. 

Ms Muzila said the donation was timely as the ministry had serious shortage of the devices, for both adults and children. 

“Recently, there has been an overwhelming number increase of people in need of mobility assistive devices, particularly wheelchairs, since the outbreak of COVID-19,” she said, adding older adults suffering from long COVID-19, often needed wheelchairs. 

In addition, a number of people with mobility challenges needed wheelchair replacement, she said, and appealed to the private sector and other charitable organisations to assist. 

She thanked the Rotarians for their kind gesture and assured them the wheelchairs would reach the intended beneficiaries. 

The Rotary Club is a not -for-profit organisation and sources funds internationally to help the underprivileged. 

The wheelchairs were supplied by the Wheelchair Foundation of the United Kingdom. Ends