Scarborough Rotary and Wheelchairs for Kids

Wheelchairs for Kids: A Scarborough Rotary Initiative Since ’98

Wheelchairs for Kids Ltd is a project of the Rotary Club of Scarborough, Western Australia, supported by the Christian Brothers.

It is a Registered Charity endorsed by the ATO as a deductible gift recipient.

As an entirely volunteer-based project, Wheelchairs for Kids is dedicated to providing wheelchairs for free to children in need.

Scarborough Rotary Club founded this Wheelchairs for Kids project back in 1998, making wheelchairs from old bike frames and a wooden base. We had all sorts of problems with this early model, and so the design was re-jigged many times in order to get it right. Over 22 years and 9 different models later, a world-class design has been developed, which totally conforms to World Health Organisation guidelines and is constantly tested for strength on equipment specifically designed, built and provided by the Engineering Department at University of Western Australia.

The new model is manufactured here in the Wheelchairs for Kids factory in Wangara, Perth.

The latest chair is fully adjustable to allow for the child’s growth. Made as a rough-terrain wheelchair, the design consists of solid puncture-proof tyres and a single front wheel, which makes it easier to travel over rough, pot-holed tracks. It also has seatbelts, postural separators, a tool kit, a knee rug and a soft toy.

The Rotary Club of Scarborough was chartered in 1956 and since that time the Club has fundraised and donated many millions of dollars to worthy causes in our local community, as well as to many Australian and global humanitarian projects. Wheelchairs for Kids was founded by three Scarborough Rotarians, who identified a need to produce wheelchairs that could be allocated to children in underdeveloped and war-torn countries, to get up off of the dirt and enable enough mobility to get around, attend school and to therefore receive an education.

This initiative has since helped over 54,000 children in some of the poorest countries in the world.

Wheelchairs for Kids is a signature project of Scarborough Rotary Club, but through our Swapmart and other  fundraising endeavours we have additionally been able to assist in Autism research, various school programmes, Indigenous scholarships, Surf Life Saving clubs, Foodbank, various youth programmes, Australian Rotary health programmes, the Rotary International Polio Plus programme and many more.

Scarborough Rotary recently celebrated its 65th year since Charter and with a vibrant membership, will continue on giving to those in need.