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Starting in the summer of 1998 and continuing to the
present, members of Roots & Shoots groups
and the Achilles Track Club for the disabled have been
raising money for wheelchairs for both
adults and children in Tanzania and the United States.
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The program in Tanzania came out of a National
Sports Day for the Disabled established by Dr. Rick
Asselta, Megan Nelson and Sabastian Endege in 1998 and
which continues until today. |
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Dr. Asselta is a cancer survivor who took up marathon
running as a way to overcome the physical effects of
esophageal cancer and has completed over 20 marathons
including two ultra-marathons and over 7000 miles of
running in the U.S.A. and Africa. Additional physical
issues have had him go from running to wheelchair
racing competing in New York and Boston and Winning
the Steamtown Marathon in Pennsylvania twice. |
Students from Western Connecticut State University as
well as high school, middle school and
elementary Roots & Shoots students have continued to
raise money to provide the wheelchairs. This
enables the recipients in Tanzania to get to work,
school and other daily tasks which would otherwise
be impossible.
The hand cycles, which in the United States can
cost up to $2000 each, can be made in Tanzania for
$100 or less. |
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We are currently up to 145 hand cycles and hope to
reach 200 by the end of the school year.
We are encouraging groups to decide to raise money
($100) for just one wheelchair. If you or your Roots &
Shoots group would like to do so, please
contact us... |
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The most
common question we receive about this project is why
these people are disabled. Most of the
Tanzanians needing the hand cycles are polio survivors.
Click here to get your Roots & Shoots group
involved in raising funds for
Polio Vaccinations, they are approximately $1
each. |
