Thailand’s wheelchair project

A project to repair and donate wheelchairs is reducing stigma and building dignity among the disabled in the Kingdom.

“Thailand gives a fascinating and encouraging way disabled persons should normally be treated,” said an article on a website. The Wheelchair Project in Thailand is helping to normalize societal and community acceptance of the disabled. It distributes wheelchairs, physical therapy, and other special therapies through a network of public hospitals and clinics around the country, according to non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The Wheelchair Project is proud to have Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as its royal sponsor. It was founded in 1999 and continues to strive to serve people affected by disabilities to this day.

The idea is this chair is a gift. It cannot be bought, sold, traded, or taken away from its owner. The gift then turns into a source of honor and that honor has an intangible benefit of changing people’s perceptions about the disabled. Recognizing people for their inherent worth, despite any disability, builds a stronger society where everyone can contribute and where compassion is practiced.

On the project’s website, it said that “The Project strives to provide mobility aids and other medical equipment to the people of Thailand, raise awareness regarding the needs of those with disabilities, and empower and encourage the disadvantaged to become fully integrated into their communities.”

Their vision is seeing the world as an interconnected group of people, all members of the same community. They envision a global community working in concert to meet the needs of every member therein to promote inclusion of all people regardless of ability, religion, gender or race.

Photo courtesy of https://wheelchairproject.org/our-work/