Friday’s metal fabrication workshop in Kasese is CanUgan’s go to builder of hand pedalled tricycles for disabled persons. These tricycles provide persons with disabilities with much needed mobility and the opportunity to return to work and school. The latest tricycles are the product of a partnership between CanUgan and the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University that provided for the re-design of the tricycles with stronger frames that were more resilient to rough terrains. The tricycles have also been modified to hold a variety of income-generating attachments, such as solar-powered charging stations and maize mills. The modifications have allowed recipients the means to provide needed income to support themselves and their families.
Bwera is a border town with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and one of the busier border crossings in Uganda. This has afforded capable persons with disabilities (PWDs) a unique opportunity to engage in cross border transport of goods with the aid of CanUgan provisioned tricycles. The tricycles are modified locally to increase their carrying capacity (see photo below). Approximately 30 tricycles have been received in the Bwera district and most are used to transport goods back and forth over the border. A recent meeting of this transport group’s representatives with DRC officials has resulted in successful negotiations for the issuance of a border card that would allow PWDs to conduct cross border crossings with minimal interference. The tricycles have not only provided a means for generating income but have also improved community respect for these hardworking and enterprising PWDs.
There is a large demand not only for the modified enterprise tricycle, but also for the basic transport device. Your contribution can help purchase one of these life transforming tricycles.
For further information on the evolution of the tricycle / wheelchair, visit https://carleton.ca/wheelchair/