By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu, Bo City
Mobility Sierra Leone on Sunday, March 1, 2026, joined the global community to commemorate International Wheelchair Day in Bo City, renewing calls for improved access to mobility devices and stronger protection of the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.
The celebration began with a colourful float parade through the principal streets of Bo, drawing the attention of residents and passersby. The procession culminated at the Bo Coronation Field, where disability rights advocates reaffirmed their commitment to promoting inclusion, accessibility, and respect for persons with disabilities.
Prior to the public parade, Mobility Sierra Leone hosted a day-long stakeholders’ and media engagement at the Pastoral and Social Centre Hall on Gerehun Road. The session aimed to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities and highlight the pressing challenges facing the disability community in Sierra Leone.
Addressing journalists, Lamin Mansaray, Country Programme Manager of Mobility Sierra Leone, underscored the significance of International Wheelchair Day. He explained that the day was founded on March 1, 2008, by Steve Wilkinson, a passionate advocate for wheelchair users who lived with spina bifida.
According to Mansaray, Wilkinson’s vision was to create a global movement celebrating the transformative impact of wheelchairs while recognising the efforts of individuals and organisations that provide mobility solutions. He noted that the observance also raises awareness about the millions of people worldwide who remain in urgent need of appropriate wheelchairs.
Mansaray further revealed that following Wilkinson’s passing in 2024, his legacy continues through the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals, which remains committed to advancing accessibility and inclusion globally and ensuring that mobility remains a development priority.
Citing global statistics, he stated that approximately 80 million people worldwide require access to an appropriate wheelchair, yet many have not received one. He emphasised that the lack of mobility devices severely limits access to education, employment, healthcare, and social participation.
“Mobility is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” Mansaray stressed, noting that without mobility, daily life becomes extremely challenging, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
He explained that Mobility Sierra Leone, with support from Mobility Worldwide, provides
mobility devices and essential support services to persons living with disabilities across the country.
The organisation conducts professional assessments, wheelchair fittings, repair services, and community outreach programmes that serve both urban centres and hard-to-reach rural communities.
Mansaray observed that in Sierra Leone, limited healthcare infrastructure and inadequate resources continue to hinder access to mobility devices for many persons with disabilities. He therefore called on government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media to intensify efforts toward inclusive policies and sustainable support systems.
Several persons with disabilities who spoke during the event emphasised that “disability is not inability,” urging stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps to amplify their voices and ensure the full realisation of their rights.
The observance of International Wheelchair Day in Bo not only celebrated the transformative power of mobility devices but also served as a powerful reminder that inclusion, accessibility, and dignity must remain at the centre of national development efforts.
