Wheelchairs for Nigeria

          Nigeria has more polio than anywhere in the world. Tens of thousands of children and adults spend their lives crawling on the ground. Tragically, no one is doing anything in a significant way about it. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been given by the Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and others for polio eradication, which is absolutely wonderful. But very little is being done for the victims.

          Dr. Ron Rice, a retired Presbyterian pastor, and his Nigerian partner Ayuba Gufwan, who walks on his hands from polio, have built and donated over 18,500 wheelchairs to Nigeria's polio survivors. They have their own shop in Jos, Nigeria, with 65 employees, where they build these 3-wheeled, self-pedaled "tricycles" out of bicycle parts for $150. Five of the employees are handicapped themselves. This is by far the largest wheelchair ministry in all of Nigeria, a country that is more than half the population of the U.S.

          For $150, a child's life is absolutely transformed. Now they can go to school. Now they have hope and a future. Adults can now get vocational training or an apprenticeship, become self-supporting, and not have to resort to begging. Wheelchairs are given to both Christians and Muslims. In a country frequently torn by tribal and religious violence, Christians giving wheelchairs to Muslims is many times a witness for peace and reconciliation. Even employees in the shop are both Christian and Muslim.

          Wheelchairs for Nigeria is totally dependent on compassionate and generous people like you. Won't you help change the lives of these children? For information on how to give a tax-deductible gift, visit the How to Help page. For more general information e-mail us at info@wheelchairsfornigeria.org