Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2003, the Centre of the Dove's Wheelchair workshop produces the Mekong wheelchair. Made by our students disabled by mines and polio, the Mekong wheelchair costs around US $80.
Since the workshop's inception, more than 4500 Mekong wheelchairs have been distributed to villages in Siem Reap, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey. Peer counsellors who themselves have lost limbs, accompany the wheelchair users, advising and serving them in the joys and sadness of their lives. Other NGO's such as ICRC, Handicap International, American Red Cross, Cambodia Trust also obtain and distribute wheelchairs from our Centre's Wheelchair Shop.
The wheelchair design, tailored to Cambodian conditions, was created by Motivation, a charity based in the UK, whose leader David Constantine became a paraplegic through a diving accident in Australia. Motivation came to Cambodia and taught the Jesuit Refugee Service Team the techniques for making the chair.
Our team adapted the original design to suit people with special disabilities to enable us the ability to manufacture adult chairs, children's chairs and tricycles. The Mekong chair is made from Cambodian wood and rubber and cloth and metal manufactured in our workshop by the disabled team.
2003 Highlights
Interestingly, when Tun Channareth received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 on behalf of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines he rode his Mekong wheelchair, made in our workshop, on to the stage. Channareth himself distributes the wheelchairs and designs special chairs for special people.
Another important milestone occurred in 1999 when the Mekong wheelchair was designated as the Millennium Product and honored a place in the Millennium Dome in London. A child's version is part of the Nobel Peace Museum. For us the wheelchair makes miracles in the lives of poor people.
Through their work at the Centre's Wheelchair workshop, our students continue to help handicapped children go to school and adults to be mobile for the market, work and social activities. These are the miracles of every day for the users and the people who witness the happiness, as they distribute and follow up the wheelchair users.
Read about a research study into the quality of life of wheel chair users.
