The new corona virus infection has increased so rapidly that the state of emergency is extended until the end of August and we cannot have any meetings for refurbishing wheelchairs for the meantime. Under this situation, however, children’s wheelchairs have been offered to us from special schools in the Kanto area. Our NGO, entrusted to send them to overseas children, is groping a way of delivering them abroad.
We sent 180 wheelchairs to our new partner, RICD, Thailand, last month from this viewpoint. When we deliver wheelchairs abroad, it’s essential that the overseas partner is capable of refurbishing wheelchairs. As it is almost impossible for us to refurbish wheelchairs and send them under the present conditions, receivers are limited to those capable of refurbishing work even though we send wheelchairs undone.
“Malaysia Dream Factory” in Malaysia, which Mr. Syed Putra Syed Mokhtar, ex-vice president of ALEPS＊, founded with our NGO’s support for both producing and refurbishing wheelchairs locally, is that very partner.
＊ALEPS:Alumni Look East Policy Society
Malaysia is in a similar situation with COVID-19 and there are severe restrictions of activities, Syed says. Even so, he wants wheelchairs, saying “We can refurbish wheelchairs. Send us wheelchairs undone, it’s OK.” We held an online board of directors in a hurry and has decided to send 90 wheelchairs undone to Malaysia. We have outsourced packing, too. We expect to ship 90 wheelchairs around the middle of August.
We hope to send lots of wheelchairs to overseas children in various ways. We’d like your continued cooperation in the future.
August 3, 2021 Hirokazu Morita