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Wheelchair Distribution
What It Is
Latter-day Saint Charities (Humanitarian Services), working in partnership with local organizations that serve the disabled, distributes about 40,000 wheelchairs each year in 70 countries. Those who have witnessed a disabled person receiving a wheelchair for the first time report that the joy and tears of gratitude shown by the recipient are often overwhelming.
Why It Is a Priority
Only about one percent of the roughly 100 million disabled people worldwide own or have access to a wheelchair.* Many have lost the use of one or both legs due to war, birth defects, or disease. In most developing countries, there are few social supports to help the disabled. They are highly dependent on family members for support and 24-hour care. For the adults, being without mobility often means being without work. In addition, UNESCO estimates that 98 percent of children with disabilities in developing countries are unable to attend school.
