Our Volunteers

Our volunteers are the heart of our operations – they change lives forever

Wheelchairs for Kids is led by a passionate, hardworking team of volunteers, the majority of whom are senior citizens. Up to 800 people currently volunteer at Wheelchairs for Kids ( 250 in the workshop and 550 at home).

Spanning the ages 55 to over 90, they donate their time and expertise to manufacture rough terrain wheelchairs for disadvantaged children living with a disability – allowing us to minimise manufacturing and administrative costs and channel 100% of our funding towards making wheelchairs.

From organising fundraising drives to checking and assembling the wheelchairs or knitting rugs and toys for our recipient children, our volunteers perform varied roles across our organisation, fostering a sense of purpose, comradeship and belonging for our senior volunteers many of whom report it as a ‘’ life-changing ‘’ experience.

Our Volunteers work across three groups

• Manufacturing group: Approximately 250 volunteers in shifts of 50 per day attend the workshop, together manufacturing a total of 300 wheelchairs per month.
• Work from home group: A working group of up to 550 volunteers work from their own place of residence to cut and sew covers for the wheelchair seat back and restraint cushions, crocheting, knitting and sewing individual knee rugs and the knitting and sewing of soft toys.
• Back office group: A number of administrative volunteers work in our factory assisting with a range of activities including financial administration, procurement, warehousing, dispatch, website maintenance and promotions.

Why do people volunteer for Wheelchairs for Kids?

The emotional and health benefits of volunteering for the elderly are well-documented, with studies showing that elderly volunteers have

• Decreased risk of cognitive disabilities, including dementia
• Higher levels of wellbeing
• Lower rates of depression
• Increased levels of physical fitness

Turning passion into action

It’s thanks to the ingenuity and dedication of our volunteers that we have helped more than 50,000 children since our beginning back in 1998, but with an estimated 10 million children worldwide still in need of a wheelchair, there is still much work to be done .