The CareTech Foundation has partnered with disability charity Motivation to help disabled people in Kenya access wheelchairs and improve their rehabilitation.

The CareTech Foundation has awarded Motivation a grant of £152,345 to underpin the delivery of its National Manufacturing Project, which aims to train volunteers to support wheelchair users and raise care standards through improved infrastructure, procurement, service provision and community referral. Wheelchair users will also receive training and follow-up support. A cohort of twelve disabled people will help to design, deliver and assess the impact of the project.

As part of the partnership CareTech staff will work alongside volunteer teams on the ground to define best practice, develop appropriate standards and design and roll out monitoring tools.

In Kenya an estimated 100,000 people are living with the impact of spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, childhood polio and other mobility disabilities.

Amanda Wilkinson, Motivation chief executive officer, said: “Enabling mobility and the accessibility to the right type of wheelchair and rehabilitation is why Motivation exists. Most disabled people in Kenya, if they are lucky enough to even have a wheelchair, have not had an assessment or training in how to use it. It’s also highly likely to be the wrong type of wheelchair for their needs and environment. Using the wrong wheelchair results in many issues, including fatal and painful pressure sores.”

Jonathan Freeman, CareTech Foundation chief executive officer, said: “The funding is not just aimed to provide wheelchairs but will improve education and awareness around the understanding and accessibility needs of wheelchair users in the country. The Foundation’s support will provide critical help to some of the most vulnerable people in Africa and allow them to be mobile and live more fulfilling lives. The legacy of this project will be the training of volunteers who will help with the delivery of this project and help change attitudes toward disability in Africa.”

The CareTech Foundation is an independent grant-making charity funded and founded by care provider CareTech Holdings.