Help change a life.

By making a donation to Uhambo you are supporting some of the world's most vulnerable people -- people with disabilities in rural areas of Africa. Email now to learn how to donate. 
 

"Providing wheelchairs that are appropriate, well-designed and fitted not only enhances mobility, but also opens up a world of education, work and social life for those in need of such support.”  WHO 2008 

Supply a wheelchair. Transform a life.

 Drop an email to learn how to provide an appropriate chair and services to someone in need in Africa. 
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Because of Buzwie's exposure to Shonaquip's products and services, this mother of a disabled child along with three other woman who also have disabled children, opened their own day care center for children with disabilities. She called it Yomelelani Day Care Centre: “Be strong in whatever situation you find yourself in”.
Uhambo is driven to:
To promote and support the rights, create opportunities, and assist in the development of persons with disabilities. 
To provide appropriate holistic needs driven support services, in order to positively impact the quality of life of persons with mobility disabilities.

The Mission

Uhambo, the Shonaquip Foundation, is  dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities in less-resourced settings of Africa by:
  • Increasing awareness of and providing greater access to appropriate and innovative mobility and seating solutions
  • Facilitating the access to holistic client-focused support services
  • Driving policy change and research
  • Advocating for and building an inclusive and empowered society for people living with disabilities 

The Need

  • Wheelchairs are one of the most commonly used assistive devices for enhancing the personal mobility of people with disabilities.  
  • An estimated 65 million people, need a wheelchair.  In most developing countries, only a small percentage of those who need a wheelchair have one.   Inappropriate and low cost wheelchairs are often donated in large quantities without the necessary related services and clinical support.  
  • These donated chairs seldom meet the need of the individual users or the environment in which they need to be used, resulting in wasted resources, disappointment and the development of serious secondary health complications.

Uhambo's Activities

·         Actively participate in local and international policy development and policy implementation programmes and in advocacy activities.
·         Advocacy and awareness raising.  
·         Establish community based skills development, and inclusive sports programmes for disabled persons.
·         Day Care Disability Support programmes including needs driven holistic community based training and support
·         Development of the Ndinogona “I can” stimulation kit which assists care givers to stimulate children with special needs and disabilities
·         Community outreach programmes including disability focus groups and stakeholder groups.
·         Identify, establish and assist in growing collaborative resource sharing mechanisms for disabled persons, their service providers and other stakeholders.
·         Facilitate income generating activities and poverty alleviation initiatives for persons with disabilities.
·         Facilitate training for care givers, family members and health workers regarding the care management and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities to ensure the prevention of secondary health complications. 
·         Support evidence-based practice through conducting sound and ethical research and disseminating results appropriately and clearly to all stakeholders.    

Innovation & High Impact

"I have personally witnessed Shonaquip's unique ability to provide quality wheelchair seating in difficult and remote areas of South Africa.  Their well-trained teams are prepared to fit and deliver custom seating systems on-the-spot to moderately and severely involved cerebral palsy clients – with outcomes consistent with developed economy standards.

Shona McDonald is now undertaking important initiatives to better serve the needs of people with spinal cord injuries, as well as people with disabilities in more and more remote locations.  

Shonaquip is a committed social enterprise that is substantially improving the lives of thousands of people with disabilities."

Rick Jay
Founder Jay Medical and JARIK Medical
Manufacturers of cushions and seating for wheelchairs
Rickjay@jarikmedical.com 
Tell a friend:
For more information about  Uhambo, the Shonaquip Foundation, email us!
 Uhambo, the Shonaquip Foundation, is a Social Responsiveness Initiative of Shonaquip Company (South Africa) 
Reg. no. Section 21(not for profit):  2010 004598 08; 18A Tax-exemption status; PBO (Public Benefit Organization) ref. no.  930033521 
NPO (non profit organisation) Reg. no. 085-124 3 
Tiverton Road. Plumstead 7800. Cape Town, South Africa. Phone: +27 (021) 797 8239
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