Three Generations Bring Wheelchairs and Hope to Uganda
By Community Correspondent
Carol Dyer from Gosport is preparing for an extraordinary journey this September, travelling with her 18-year-old son Caleb and her 81-year-old father Neil Salter to Jinja, Uganda, with Christian disability charity Through the Roof.
They are going on a mission for our Wheels for the World project which provides life-changing wheelchairs to disabled people who otherwise have no access to them – restoring dignity, independence, and hope.
Different roles on the mission
The family of volunteers will be working alongside a team of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, mechanics, pastoral carers, and administrators later this September.
Together, they will select and fit refurbished wheelchairs for children and adults in desperate need.
Three generations go to Uganda this year, all from one family. It is Caleb’s first trip, taking the role of blogger and photographer; where for grandfather Neil, it’s one of seven trips he’s made with charity Through the Roof, as a volunteer mechanic. Mum/daughter Carol, who is on the staff team of the charity, is the Team Leader for this trip.
Why take wheelchairs to Uganda?
Globally, over 100 million people need a wheelchair but do not have one – with over 90% living in Africa or Asia. In contrast, thousands of wheelchairs in the UK end up in landfill each year.
Through the Roof refurbishes these chairs and ships them to countries where they can make an immediate, life-changing difference.
For many in Uganda, the cost of a wheelchair is far beyond reach. Without one, people may be forced to crawl on the ground or be carried everywhere.
The gift of a wheelchair opens doors – to education, employment, and full inclusion in community life.
On the last Wheels for the World trip to Jinja, the team met Winnie, a teenager with cerebral palsy who had never moved independently. Her new, customised wheelchair gave her posture support, comfort, and – for the first time – freedom to explore on her own.
As she tried her chair for the first time, the crowd erupted into applause and she beamed with joy. Alongside the chair, she was given a Bible in her own language and prayed for, as the team encouraged her to know her value and God’s love.
Tim Wood, CEO of Through the Roof, said: “Our Wheels for the World project transforms the lives, physically and spiritually, of 800 disabled people every year. We’ve got a great community here, and we’d love for more people to join us in transforming lives.”
Through the Roof invites supporters to help by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.
Watch our project video at https://youtu.be/7kQSS2v5GxA, see mission updates on social media @TTRChangesLives, or visit our Wheels for the World webpage at https://throughtheroof.org/international-mission/wheels-for-the-world/
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