APDM is seeking support to promote the development of Assistive Devices using locally available materials with the mission of mitigating the mobility challenges faced by persons with disabilities in rural areas in Malawi. It is expected that the development of these devices will result into increased access to assistive devices, mobility aides and empowerment of persons with physical disabilities in participating in all aspects of development in Malawi.
In Malawi, people with physical disabilities have challenges to access rehabilitation services and have no mobility aids such as tri-cycles, wheel chairs, crunches, callipers and other mobility assistive devices. As such, they are being denied equal access to education, employment, health, association and many other social amenities due to mobility challenges. To this end, a person with a disability is destined to a life of dependency. For the rural poor the challenges are extreme.
APDM has skilled multi-talented members who can make various kind of assitive devices. Therefore, APDM Rehabilitation Centre, is being set up at APDM's office in Chiwembe to cater for the rehabilitation and mobility needs of persons with disabilities. APDM Rehabilitation Centre is serving a population of approximately over 1,800,000 children and adults with disabilities of varying levels of severity, ranging from mild/moderate to severe disabilities in rural areas of Malawi.
It is expected that the establishment of this center will result into increased access to assistive devices, mobility aides and empowerment by persons with physical disabilities in Malawi. This will help young children with disabilities have access to education, and adults be able to do other works by themselves e.g. doing small scale businesses. In the long run, people with disabilities in Malawi shall have improved social economic status and living conditions through the project's intervention
