A new active rehabilitation camp for people with disabilities is built in Bragadiru, Ilfov County. The initiative belongs to Motivation Romania Foundation and the project is possible with the support of our partners from Mosaic Romania and of the financer – Timken Foundation.
The camp will host active rehabilitation activities for independent living, dedicated to wheelchair users, and activities for the youth from the IMPACT program, conducted by Motivation. Since the beginning of the project, in October 2020, four tent-type structures were built, on wood and concrete foundation. There were also arranged an area for training on wheelchair handling techniques and ares for adapted sports. The work is still in progress.
Starting with July 2021, the camp will accomodate the first participants – people with spinal cord injuries, who have their mobility affected because of different types of accidents. Under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team, including phyisiotherapists, independent living trainers, social workers, wheelchair technicians, the participants will learn how to lead an active and independent life, how to take back their roles at home, at work, in community, by using their abilities. The activities will include informative sessions – debates on topics related to living as a wheelchair user, prevention on medical complications, accessing the rights of people with disabilities, as well as practical sessions on the correct and safe techniques on wheelchair handling.
Also, the camp provides a model of accessible environment, to inspire the participants to adjust their own houses. In Romania, the lack of accessibility is still one of the main barriers for the inclusion of people with mobility disabilities.
Motivation Romania Foundation is the first organization in our country which conducted active rehabilitation for independent living programs, dedicated to wheelchair users. Since now, we have given back trust and freedom movement for more than 25.000 people with disabilities. We are grateful to our partners from the Timken Foundation for having financed the construction of the tent camp in Ilfov and we are convinced that together we will change even more lives for the better.