MUSC Wheelchair Sustainability Project

Bringing wheelchairs to underserved communities in Uganda

For more than 8 years, students and faculty from the College of Health Professions have participated in medical mission trips bringing health care services to underserved regions like Uganda, Nicaragua, and Vietnam. Witnessing the need in these countries has inspired our team to help change what’s possible for the residents of Uganda by developing, piloting, and refining a business plan to impact wheelchair production, one district at a time.

In collaboration with OneWorld Health, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide quality, affordable healthcare to people in need, and Ugandan stakeholders, we hope to develop a long-term sustainable plan for access to wheelchairs and mobility capacity starting in Masindi, Uganda. A lack of mobility limits people to the type of resources they need to survive. This can also lead many to have higher health risks.

For every $800 raised, we can provide one Roughrider Wheelchair to a Ugandan citizen in need. Our initial goal is to provide 6 Roughrider Wheelchairs to the community in May of 2019. Next year, we hope that our project will continue to grow and that ultimately, we can send 145 wheelchairs to Uganda in May of 2020. Your investment directly impacts our ability to enhance mobility for individuals with disabilities and stimulate wheelchair sustainability in Uganda. In short, your donation will change what’s possible for the citizens of Uganda.

The wheelchairs will be put together by faculty and students at MUSC. For more information visit the Wheelchair Sustainability Project website.