THE CHALLENGE

In India according to a recent study of wheelchair users conducted by Toyota Mobility Foundation, nine out of ten (94%) of Indian wheelchair users say they experience pain because of their mobility device. In most developing countries, including India, wheelchairs are usually mass produced and distributed without any proper assessment of the user’s needs and living conditions. Consequently, most wheelchairs are inappropriate and unusable over time; the quality of the wheelchair is invariably very poor and rarely is training provided on the use of wheelchair.

According to the Government’s Census 2011, there are 27 million people in India with some form of disability. 20% of the population with disabilities have a mobility challenge, thus at least one million people need a wheelchair. Without the right wheelchair, persons with mobility challenges are left isolated socially and economically with little or no access to healthcare, education, employment and are unable to participate in family life and society.