SafariSeat, a low-cost, all-terrain wheelchair designed for people in developing countries has raised £90,036 to start production.
SafariSeat, SafariSeat is the first project from Uji, a UK social enterprise determined to help people break free from the poverty cycle. Hoping to help people with disabilities lead independent lives, SafariSeat can be made in basic workshops using bicycle parts, which makes it easy to repair.
SafariSeat raised £90,036 from its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter and aims to use local workshops to make as many SafariSeats for their communities.
SafariSeat designer, Janna Deeble who grew up in Kenya was inspired by a large number of disabled in Kenya, who disabled since birth, crawl with no access to healthcare, suitable wheelchairs or any of the assistance. Janna’s accident that left him wheelchair-bound for months made him think deeply and fast, hence SafariSeat.
Developed in 2015, SafariSeat aims to help the disabled in East Africa where 1 in every 200 people are in need of a wheelchair, imprisoned by their disability. The money raised will help the team build more wheelchairs and set up new workshops and a disability outreach program to get SafariSeat to people in the most remote areas of East Africa.
UK social enterprise Uji, says the open-source, locally-built wheelchair is easy to repair and use and will the gap left by organizations donating wheelchairs to developing countries.
The wheelchair uses pump levers to move, and rests on a suspension system similar to a car that keeps all four wheels on the ground at the same time, regardless of the roughness of the ground. Uji’s team say the open source toolkit is already in development and production of the first 50 SafariSeat wheelchairs will begin in May 2017 in Kenya.
Co-founded by Janna, Cara O’Sullivan, James Seers and Bertie Meyer, the low cost, all-terrain wheelchair for rural communities. Safariseat gives people independence, unlocking access to education, employment and a life beyond the confines of their own home.
Uji is working with Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Centre, located in Mombasa, Kenya, and works with 80 disabled men and women artisans to help them overcome their physical limitations and empower them economically and socially to become fully integrated members of their communities. Bombolulu started in 1969 as a rehabilitation project sponsored by the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya.
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