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This project consists in the exchange of wheelchairs in poor working conditions for wheelchairs in top working conditions, refurbished by Taller-Hogar Calasanz in San Jose, Costa Rica. This will be a joint international effort of two Rotary clubs, La Mesa Sunrise Rotary Club and the San Pedro/Curridabat Rotary Club, in San Jose, Costa Rica(Club #7206, District #4240). Also volunteering their services will be the Taller-Hogar Calasanz, run by the religious order Padres Aesculapius, in charge of providing the wheelchair repair training. ROTARAC and several community organizations will assist in this project. This project's main beneficiaries will be Costa Rica's low-income wheelchair users. Obviously, wheelchairs provide mobility and improve self-sufficiency for users, a crucial aspect in the treatment or amelioration of their condition.
The program will operate as follows: The "Taller-Hogar Calasanz will keep 5 to 10 "loaner" wheelchairs in stock. ROTARAC and other organizations throughout the country will identify low-income users with wheelchairs in need of repairs, and provide them with a "loaner" chair. Once the wheelchair has been refurbished it will be returned to the original owner. In order to make the program sustainable, the users will pay a fee of US$40. this is the estimated cost of the spare parts and other costs. If unable to pay, this fee will be covered with donations from the local Rotary club.
The program would collect, repair, and then return around around 65 wheelchairs each month. It is important to note that the cheapest wheelchair in Costa Rica (all imported)is around US$200, while the average repair is around US$40. Most of the money for this grant will go toward the cost of purchasing the spare parts, and the training of at-risk youth doing the repairs. The collection of fees would replenish the funds and keep the program going.
Wheelchair repair will be performed by at-risk youth trained by Taller-Hogar Calasanz run by Aesculapius religious order. The "Taller" (workshop in Spanish)trains young interns in trades such as carpentry, woodwork, car repair, electricity, and so on. For the purpose of this program, the "Taller" will train 5 to 10 youth in wheelchair repair and also will help them to start their own micro-businesses and become self-employed. This training is another aspect of the sustainability of the program.
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