Motivation International

Look who joined us in the UK earlier this week! We were delighted to welcome Mahesh Chandrasekar, Director of Motivation India, to our Bristol office for a brief visit. Mahesh's time here gave our UK team a valuable opportunity to connect, discuss current projects, and gain insights from our work in India. Thank you, Mahesh, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit us. Pictured Top: L-R – Ian Webster (Project Manager), Sara Gwynn (Head of Policy & Advocacy), James Theedom (Head of Finance & Compliance) Bottom: L-R - Amanda Wilkinson (CEO), Mahesh Chandrasekar (India Director), Rebecca Andrews (Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy)

Basketball Tennis Cricket Rugby League Padel AFL Badminton Baseball Kabaddi Multisport wheelchairs are just that, multi-sport as well as multi-player as these entry level sports wheelchairs are designed and built to be shared by lots of different athletes and players. Keeping equipment costs down for schools, clubs and federations and enabling more people to exercise their right to play. Available now from 3 different global stock sites for speedy economic delivery to where you are, contact [email protected] for a quote. Check the impact your help create when you order wheelchairs from us >>> https://lnkd.in/eddb48Qg A female basketball player holds the ball under her arm, her other hand rests on the pushrims of her Multisport wheelchair. The worlds now in stock are above her and bottom right is the Motivation logo #sport #inclusion #disability #wheelchair #at #assistivetechnology #kit #parasport #wheelchairsport #mymotivationwheelchair Motivation International Motivation International #basketball #wheelchairbasketball #tennis #wheelchairtennis #quadtennis #badminton #parabadminton #afl #aussierules #rugbyleague #wrl #wheelchairrugbyleague #cricket #wheelchaircricket

Kim, a young disabled boy, described as “a punishment from God”, and people told his mother, Susan, that she was being cursed. Susan is a young mother of three who lives in Kampala, Uganda. Her eldest, Kim, is now a happy and healthy nine-year-old boy. After a severe bout of malaria at age three, Kim suffered a stroke that damaged the right-hand side of his body, leaving one leg paralysed. Kim attended school for a time, which he enjoyed and made many friends. However, a severe convulsion left him unable to speak. Unable to communicate verbally or walk unaided, Susan removed her son from school. Susan faced isolation from both their family and community: “I don’t feel like I have a home. My family have left me - they say he is not their blood. They had never seen a child like him in the family and said I should take him to where he belongs. People say they think I am being cursed. They say it is a punishment from God.” “I had to start living on my own. I had to leave my people. Kim needed a lot of time – I couldn’t leave him alone. I lost my job because of the time I needed to dedicate to my son.” Motivation’s Parent Carer Training help parents like Susan understand the true causes of their child’s disability and fight for their right to be included. Parents also learn practical skills, such as caring for and feeding their children safely. The training has helped Susan gain the strength and knowledge to change her family’s life. She’s learned physio exercises to help her son build strength to dress and feed himself. She’s also joined a savings scheme set up by Motivation, allowing her to save enough to buy land and build a family home for Kim. "It’s all about the positive changes. When I get some money, I spend some money in the house and save some." Confident and empowered, Susan now has high hopes for her family’s future: “I hope to take him to school to learn to count, read and write and how to manage a business that I would like to set up for him so that he can be independent. I want him to have no worries.” #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityCharity #MakeSpaceForDisability

Wheelchair users' everyday horrors…   • Narrow doorways • Insufficient parking • High counters or shelves • Inaccessible public transport • Uneven or broken pavements • Stairs without a ramp or elevator • Unsuitable/ inaccessible bathrooms • Heavy doors without automatic openers • Lack of curb cuts or drop curbs on one side of the road but not one on the opposite side! And nothing is scarier than a disabled person having to try and live without access to any mobility equipment at all, which many of the disabled people we support face.   The list goes on and on and on……. We have spent 40 years advocating for disability rights and equality and yet we know the world is still full of disabling barriers. It is not ok and it is frankly horrifying. To keep to the Halloween theme! But we will not stop fighting and calling for the world to #makespacefordisability If you are disabled, what are your worst everyday horrors? #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #DisabilityAwareness #GiveToGive #CharitySupport #DisabilityCharity #MakeSpaceForDisability #Halloween #Halloween2024

We're Not Just About Wheelchairs! Supporting us can mean empowering parents and caregivers like Chikondi, helping them provide a better future for their children. Our Parent Support Groups equip caregivers with the skills and knowledge to support their child's cognitive and physical growth. Chikondi is the mother of three-year-old Rudo, who lives in Nkhotakota, Malawi. Rudo faced birth complications and developmental delays, but thanks to the Parent Support Group, Chikondi has learned how to better care for him. Here's Chikondi and Rudo's story: "When I gave birth, there was no qualified midwife at the health centre. A patient assisted me, and Rudo was delivered buttocks first. He took time before he cried. At four months old, I noticed Rudo couldn't hold his head up, unlike his twin brother. The doctor said Rudo needed intensive physiotherapy. "When we moved to Nkhotakota, I joined the Parent Support Group. Many relatives thought I was wasting my time, but now they're ashamed because Rudo has improved a lot. He can hold things, show signs of speaking, and even say words. His neck is now strong, and he uses both hands. "I am very grateful to Motivation for helpful training sessions." Inspired by Chikondi and Rudo's Story? You can help parents and caregivers like Chikondi, who would otherwise have no support.  Here's how: A one-off donation of £32 can provide training for caregivers of disabled children. These sessions give parents the tools to support and advocate for their children at school and in the community. No child comes with a guidebook, but together, we can lend a helping hand to parents who need it most. Get involved: Your support makes this possible.  Make a one-off donation today via the link in the comments. #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #DisabilityAwareness #GiveToGive #CharitySupport #DisabilityCharity #MakeSpaceForDisability

✨ Happy Diwali from all of us at Motivation! ✨ Motivation wishes our colleagues, friends, supporters, partners, and communities, a bright and prosperous #Diwali filled with love, happiness, peace, and good health. About Diwali Diwali, is the 5 day Indian Festival of Lights, a major Hindu religious festival celebrated worldwide by millions spreading happiness and unity among multicultural and diverse backgrounds. Originating in India, it represents the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. During Diwali, cities come alive with the glow of oil lamps (diyas), fireworks, and gatherings of loved ones who pray, feast, celebrate, exchange sweets, share gifts, and wear new clothes. Stay safe, enjoy the festivities, and let’s keep shining together! 🪔 #HappyDiwali #FestivalOfLights #DisabilityRights #InclusiveWorld #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #MakeSpaceforDisability #DisabilityAwareness #WheelchairService #DisabilityCharity

For just £8, a GIVE nuts and bolts gift card could help bring more wheelchairs to life – giving the gift of mobility, independence and freedom to those who need it most. 🦽⚡ Why nuts and bolts? These are the REAL unsung heroes – small, but mighty and absolutely critical for keeping our wheelchairs rolling and people moving! 🛠️ Get your gift card today via the link in the comments. It’s the small things that make all the difference. With just a few springs, nuts, and bolts our wheelchairs can fold down for easy transport – helping wheelchair users escape the nightmare of inaccessible public transport! Treat or Treat? Forget the tricks this Halloween! With each donation, you’ll be giving someone the gift of mobility. Plus, you'll receive a beautiful gift card that celebrates how your contribution makes life better for wheelchair users. Choose delivery by post, email, or in person. Let's go nuts (…and bolts) this Halloween about making a real difference. Get your gift card now! 🎃🔩 #HalloweenGifts #Halloween #HalloweenPresents #Halloween2024 #HalloweenIdeas #DisabilityRights #InclusiveWorld #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #MakeSpaceforDisability #DisabilityAwareness #WheelchairService #DisabilityCharity

We are incredibly proud to be part of the #UnlockTheEveryday global campaign to improve access to Assistive Technology in the world's poorest countries. The 45-second video below shows a remarkable moment when the campaign took over Times Square, New York, during the United National General Assembly #UNGA79 If you want to make the world fairer for the world’s poorest people and support our work, please join the conversation and like, share, and comment on this video. The issue deserves your support. #makingspacefordisability www.motivation.org.uk

Biziwick, 37, is a teacher at a technical college, and live with his wife in Mangochi District, Malawi. He shares his challenging experience of being a disabled person with limited access to mobility equipment. I was born in 1990 in Lilangwe, Blantyre district. When I was 5, I fell sick with malaria, which developed into Cerebral Malaria, a severe neurological complication that stopped both my legs from working. Unable to walk, I was left dependant on my parents and friends to carry me to and from school. I started receiving wheelchairs from well-wishers like churches, but most were difficult to use. A local charity gave me a tricycle, which helped, but it couldn’t go inside the house or classrooms with it, and it wasn’t very comfortable. In 2012, whilst I was at college, I heard about good wheelchairs being issued at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre city. I made sure to visit the centre and was lucky to be given a Motivation wheelchair.  With my Motivation wheelchair, I feel comfortable because it is easy to use, and can go to different places, on different terrains. My life has greatly changed. I am more independent than before. I can interact with everyone and do things like anybody else. Biziwick says, “Discrimination is always there because it’s a thing that comes from the inside. They judge our physical appearance that we cannot do anything, and this sometimes changes my life because I feel like I am inferior.” We believe everyone deserves the right to a well-fitted, safe, and durable wheelchair yet, only 10% of people in low-income countries have access to the assistive technology they need. If you've been inspired by Biziwick, please consider making a one-off donation by purchasing a GIVE gift card from £8 via the link in the comments. #DisabilityRights #InclusiveWorld #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #MakeSpaceforDisability #DisabilityAwareness #WheelchairService #DisabilityCharity

‘Excellent’, ‘informative’, and ‘well-packaged’ – just some of the outstanding feedback from participants of our Wheelchair Training programme we delivered earlier this month. Motivation collaborated with Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. to provide our Wheelchair Training programme to 48 wheelchair practitioners in Kenya. This practical training gave participants the essential knowledge and skills to provide quality mobility services to wheelchair users, in line with the #WHO's globally recognised standards. This programme was delivered as part of the ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology  project, coordinated by Kenya’s Ministry of Health. The training is based on the WHO's Wheelchair Service provision guidelines that Motivation developed as a partner with the World Health Organisation. By completing this training, participants are equipped with the skills to: ✅ Confidently assess the needs of wheelchair users ✅ Prescribe and fit appropriate wheelchairs and pressure relief cushions ✅ Conduct user training ✅ Understand the health issues related to mobility impairments This training will significantly impact wheelchair services, integrate them into broader rehabilitation efforts, and improve the independence and quality of life of disabled people in Kenya. Our Wheelchair Training programmes support healthcare professionals, rehabilitation workers, technicians, and community-based workers involved in delivering wheelchair services. How do we recruit trainers? Motivation’s ‘train-the-trainer’ approach means knowledge cascades. First, people learn in workshops, and then they co-facilitate, facilitate, and eventually train others, creating a lasting ripple effect of skills across Kenya. This builds capacity in the entire inclusion and wheelchair provision ecosystem, ensuring that wheelchair users receive the quality services they deserve for independence, inclusion, and autonomy. Want to learn more or get involved? Visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eya75jRC or email our team at: [email protected]. #WheelchairTraining #DisabilityRights #InclusiveWorld #DisabilityInclusion #MakeaDifference #ChangeMakers #MakeSpaceforDisability #DisabilityAwareness #WheelchairService #Wheelchair