Roadmap Established for the San Salvador Wheelchair Manufacturing Project

 

An enthusiastic and committed group of Burlington Rotary Club members and friends have just returned from San Salvador, where they facilitated and provided oversight to implementation of our club's Wheelchair Development Project.

Over the past 12-18 months, this project and wheelchair design was initiated and lead by Rotarian, Peter French, of the Rotary Club of Burlington. The goal of this project was the design of simplified wheelchairs, supplied as kits of parts, with the view of making it possible to establish and sustain local manufacturing capability, with minimal outside support, in San Salvador.

As a result of the efforts of Burlington Rotarians and design and fabrication assistance from students at MMR Robinson Secondary School, 10 wheelchairs were produced and delivered to San Salvador.

With strong support of the Rotary Club of San Salvador and the local organization for rehabilitation, Instituto Salvadoreno de Rehabilitacion de Invalidos (ISRI), the next phase has been designed whereby the wheelchair will ultimately get into production by ISRI in batches of approximately 20 chairs .  The recognized "value" of the chair in helping others is a dominant factor in the success of this project.

Our club congratulates Peter and his team for their innovation, passion and perseverance in the pursuit of this project to help others in need.