Mobility scooters donated to islanders on the other side of the world
TGA’s latest donation of mobility scooters to the charity PhysioNet have arrived in Fiji. Pictured second left is Veena Bhatnagar, Fiji’s assistant minister for Women Children & Poverty Alleviation; and centre is George Edgar, British High Commissioner to Fiji. Photo: TGA.
Mobility scooters, donated by Sudbury company TGA, have arrived on the other side of the world to help disabled people.
They have been delivered to PhysioNet and are now being used by people living in Fiji, enabling them to enjoy moving around their way for the first time.
With the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, PhysioNet collects and supplies donated mobility equipment to developing countries and was set up by philanthropist Peter Thompson in 2005.
Joshco Wakaniyasi, executive director, SIA (Fiji) said: “Accessible and appropriate transport is, and continues to be, one of the biggest barriers for persons with disabilities in Fiji. This challenge is a barrier to employment and education opportunities, independence, and affordable movement. Over 90% of persons with disabilities in Fiji are reliant on organisations such as the SIA for the provision of mobility aids and appliances.”
Merewalesi Roden and Nafitalai Bai are two of the people that the TGA scooters will help.
Before being given a Breeze S3, 54-year-old Merewalesi, known as Mere, was having to spend a third of her income on taxis getting to and from work.
As the SIA office manager, she has been a paraplegic for 15 years and is a strong advocate of inclusion and equality.
Mere represented Fiji in table tennis at the 2016 Paralympic Games and now thanks to a scooter can “build her capacity in championing disability inclusion and mainstreaming” as Joshco says.
Nafitalai, or Nafi, is the communications officer for the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.
He is a quadriplegic wheelchair user whose life has been transformed by the donation of a TGA scooter.
He said: “Because we do not have buses that are accessible, I am forced to catch a taxi to work every day which costs me about $70 a week. That is not taking into consideration the weekends.
“With this scooter, I’m able to save money and I am more independent than ever. Being confined to a wheelchair for 15 years has been a struggle and to now have a scooter is a game changer.”
Daniel Stone, managing director of TGA which is situated at the Woodhall Business Park, in Sudbury, added: “We are delighted to see our scooters helping people on the other side of the world. Thanks to PhysioNet our recycled equipment gets to people who really need it. Giving people their freedom back is what we are all about.”