Ensure your ride of a lifetime makes a difference for the East Timorese!

In 2011, Tour de Timor riders raised much needed funds to support three Health initiatives in East Timor.

This year, Tour de Timor Teams have an opportunity to raise funds to help Motivation Australia and local organisation ASSERT provide wheelchairs for children and adults living in Timor Leste.

ASSERT estimate that at least 10,000 children, adults and elderly people in East Timor need a wheelchair. Many of these people live outside of the capital Dili in remote, difficult to access communities. We need your help to reach them.

 

To begin fund raising:

Tour de Timor and Motivation Australia have partnered with MyCause to provide an online fundraising webpage for each individual rider or team.

In just minutes you can build your own page and approach your supporters for a donation by emailing around the unique link of your webpage. Each donation is recorded on your page along with any message of support from your donors.

Your funds will help Motivation Australia and ASSERT purchase appropriate wheelchairs and continue to build the capacity of ASSERT staff to work with wheelchair users to provide them with a wheelchair that suits their needs, and training in how to use and maintain their wheelchair.

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More about Motivation Australia and ASSERT

Through a partnership that began in 2007, Motivation Australia (www.motivation.org.au) provides training, technical advice and appropriate wheelchairs to assist ASSERT in providing wheelchairs and support services for children and adults with a mobility disability in Timor Leste.

How many people need a wheelchair in Timor Leste?

ASSERT estimate that at least 10,000 children, adults and elderly people in their country need a wheelchair. Many of these people live outside of the capital Dili – in remote, difficult to access communities.

We need your help to reach them.

	Marcia had polio as a child, which left her unable to walk. Unlike her brothers and sisters she could not attend school. When she came for an assessment at the ASSERT centre, she was using an over-sized orthopaedic wheelchair bought by her parents from Malaysia 10 years ago. This wheelchair, the first Marcia ever had – was way too large, could not fit inside her home and left her feet hanging.
		With the training ASSERT has received through Motivation Australia; the availability of a small stock of good quality, appropriate wheelchairs – Marcia has now received a wheelchair which really suits her needs. She said that she at last feels comfortable; her feet are supported; and she can push her new wheelchair a little herself. She says that this wheelchair fits inside her home, and she does not need to crawl everywhere anymore.

Help us to help more Timorese access their right to
mobility

 

How does your fund raising help?

Your funds will help Motivation and Australia to purchase appropriate wheelchairs and continue to build the capacity of ASSERT staff to work with wheelchair users to provide them with a wheelchair that suits their needs, and training in how to use and mmaintain their wheelchair. The table below gives an indication of the costs of our work.

$200	Will help us to…..	Purchase + freight one wheelchair[1]
$625		Purchase + freight one wheelchair + support the wheelchair service costs at ASSERT to enable individual assessment, prescription, fitting, training in how to use and maintain the wheelchair.
$3,000		Two week training course for one Timor Leste national in wheelchair assessment and prescription including how to support wheelchair users to become more independent through enhanced mobility and health care skills.
$5,000		Annual allowance for transport enabling ASSERT staff to reach wheelchair users living in remote parts of Timor Leste or wheelchair users from remote parts to travel to Dili.
$8,400		Annual salary for one ASSERT clinician or technician – building the capacity of ASSERT to deliver services for people with a mobility disability, including wheelchair provision.
$30,000		Two week training course, providing 10 Timor Leste Nationals with the skills needed to safely and effectively prescribe an appropriate wheelchair.
$40,000		Purchase + freight for 200 wheelchairs
$125,000		One year programme to build the skills and capacity of ASSERT to meet the needs of wheelchair users in Timor Leste. Outputs will include: o 10 national staff trained in wheelchair assessment and prescription; o ASSERT capacity increased for future wheelchair provision work; o 200 wheelchair users provided with a wheelchair that meets their physical, environmental and social needs.