Our Story
Over 90% of people with disabilities lack assistive aids, 28% of children with disabilities between 6 to 13 are out of school and 78% remain unemployed, with the majority living below the poverty line. The impact of this is far-reaching, limiting access to education, livelihoods, healthcare, and basic dignity. For women, the burden is often doubled as caregivers, with little to no support.
This is the reality that drives our work every day.
Motivation India was established as a registered charitable trust in India in 2011. It has an excellent track record of providing quality wheelchairs fitted to individual needs to facilitate access to education, livelihoods and social inclusion. In addition to training wheelchair users and rehabilitation staff on assessment and fitment. We work closely with many field partners, pooling our expertise and resources to reach communities in urban and rural areas.
Our journey began with a deep understanding of the everyday challenges faced by people with disabilities, especially in rural and under-resourced communities. We knew that a generic wheelchair was not enough. What people needed were mobility solutions tailored to their needs, designed for their environments and backed by long-term support. So we set out to build that system from the ground up.
Motivation played a key role in developing WHO’s Wheelchair Provision Guidelines 2008, a global standard for user-centred, service-based wheelchair delivery and its subsequent revision in 2023
Since inception, Motivation India has provided 26,300+ customised wheelchairs through 19 clinics and 50 outreach partners across 24 states in India and in neighbouring countries Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Trained 650+ rehabilitation professionals across South Asia on wheelchair service provision aligned to WHO Wheelchair Provision Guidelines.
Trained 150+ peer wheelchair users and carers with skills to build independence, improve mobility, manage health, navigate relationships and access livelihood opportunities.
Through #BreaktheBias, hundreds have discovered the power of wheelchair basketball, with many progressing to district, state and national levels.
Through our Disability Inclusion Initiative, we partnered with civil society organisations to assess practices, identify gaps and develop tailored inclusion plans.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
We believe mobility is the first step toward dignity and opportunity. That’s why at the heart of our work is user-centred wheelchair service provision, rooted in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) eight-step guidelines. We don’t just distribute wheelchairs; we ensure they’re custom-fitted, terrain-appropriate, and part of a broader support ecosystem.
But our work doesn’t stop at mobility.
We build the confidence, skills and community connections. People with disabilities need to live full, independent lives, through peer training, sports inclusion, education, livelihoods, healthy living and caregiver support.
We also work to dismantle the social and structural barriers that lead to exclusion. Because when people with disabilities thrive, communities do too.