How do you get 32 wheelchairs to Africa? Ask Justin La, a Gunn High School junior who started a nonprofit called Rolling Wheels in Kenya. Inspired by a heartbreaking news story about paralyzed children in Africa languishing in hospital beds for lack of wheelchairs, Justin and his family decided to do something about it.
disabled child at AIC Kijabe Hospital
Approximately 10% of Kenya’s population has a disability. Due to high costs and lack of resources, it’s estimated that about 130,000 Kenyans need a wheelchair but can’t afford one.
But while the problem is vast, Justin and his family knew they could make a difference. As Justin says on the Rolling Wheels website, “I know what I can do is extremely limited; however, I want to make whatever small contribution I can…”
Raising funds for wheelchairs is a family effort
The La family established a goal of $5,000, set up a website and began the hard work of fundraising. Justin and his sister went door to door in their Palo Alto neighborhood selling wristbands for $5, toting along a laptop to show people that their cause was legitimate.
While the siblings worked hard, they soon faced the reality that it takes a lot of wristbands to buy a wheelchair. That’s when they turned to friends and family, who stepped up to help meet the target.
Connecting with a hospital in Africa
La family with wheelchairs ready to be assembled in Kenya
With funds in hand, Justin’s family began contacting hospitals in Africa that serve disabled children. Drawing on introductions through their church, they connected with AIC Kijabe Hospital, located about an hour from Nairobi. In desperate need of equipment for its disabled children, the hospital was thrilled at the La’s donation.
After purchasing the wheelchairs and shipping them to Kenya, Justin and his family flew to Nairobi and traveled to AIC Kijabe Hospital to hand them out in person. And this unforgettable experience was just the beginning.
Next project? Helping disabled kids in Uganda
Now the La family is focused on helping disabled children in another African country- Uganda.
Justin and his Mom, Seung La, traveled to Uganda this summer to visit local hospitals and rehab centers that serve disabled children (see their photos here). It was an eye-opening and depressing experience. “As we traveled around, we saw how kids with disabilities are abused and hit, even by their own parents,” Justin said. “Families with disabled children are isolated from the social life in the villages and the children are punished for making their parents’ lives so difficult.”
A ‘Magical Bridge’ in Africa?
Determined to find a way for disabled children in Uganda to be more integrated into social life, Justin and his mom returned to Palo Alto with the vision of building a playground that could accommodate the social and physical needs of all children. If that sounds a lot like Palo Alto’s own Magical Bridge playground, it’s more than a coincidence. In fact, Justin was one of the Magical Bridge interns this summer.
Justin and his mom with children in Uganda
“My mom works with special needs children, so I’ve grown up with an awareness of their issues and concerns,” Justin said. “I visited the Magical Bridge playground several times and decided to apply for the internship this past summer.” He explains further on the Rolling Wheels website, saying:
Building community for children of all abilities
The Magical Bridge internship dovetailed perfectly with Justin’s trip to Uganda and his emerging vision to build a playground in Africa that could serve all kids. “In Uganda, families with disabled children feel shame and rejection from the community,” he said. “We hope a playground could change that by bringing people of all abilities together.”
How to get involved with Rolling Wheels
To donate funds or learn more, visit the Rolling Wheels website (www.rollingwheelsinkenya.org), or email Justin La at justinla3@gmail.com.
a happy child in his new wheelchair, surrounded by hospital staff and helpers
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all photos by Justin La and family
