𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝

…𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆

By Sonam Choden

The Wheelchair Centre of Hope and Joy, located in Nemjo, Paro, is a community-based initiative established on May 1, 2023, to improve mobility, independence, and dignity for persons with physical disabilities. It was founded to address a critical gap in the availability of suitable and customized mobility aids, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas of Bhutan. The Centre was created through the collaboration of local wheelchair users and Gro Holm Rypstol, a Norwegian humanitarian known in Bhutan as Aum Gro.

Gro Holm Rypstol has been involved in disability advocacy in Bhutan for over fifty years. She began as the first teacher at the School for the Visually Impaired in Khaling in 1972. Today, she serves as the Donor and Program Advisor for the Centre, offering strategic guidance based on her extensive experience in inclusive education and disability support.
The Centre is run by a small but committed team. Sonam Deki manages daily operations as Coordinator, assisted by Namgay Dema, who is both Assistant Coordinator and Caregiver, and Kinley Dorji, known as Kido, who also works as a Caregiver. Together, they provide more than just wheelchairs; they offer holistic, individualized care to ensure each person receives ongoing support for long-term use of mobility aids. Currently, the Centre serves 10 persons with disabilities, tailoring services to their specific physical and emotional needs.

Following the World Health Organization’s guidelines for wheelchair service provision in low-resource settings, the Centre prioritizes user-centered design, local adaptability, and sustainability. It has grown into a platform for awareness-raising, community involvement, and caregiver training, becoming a core institution for community-based rehabilitation and advocacy.

In 2024, the Centre formally joined the Disabled People’s Organization of Bhutan (DPOB), the nation’s only national organization led by persons with disabilities. As of May 1, 2025, the Centre is officially affiliated with DPOB, strengthening its institutional foundation and enabling wider collaboration on national policy and inclusive development efforts.

Despite its achievements, the Centre faces challenges. Social stigma remains a barrier, though it is gradually diminishing. These issues highlight the ongoing need for investment in community-based rehabilitation and inclusive service delivery.

Coordinator Sonam Deki identified two urgent concerns: financial sustainability and families attempting to leave elderly parents or relatives at the Centre. “We need a strong standard operating procedure for admission,” she said, stressing the importance of protecting the Centre’s integrity and serving those truly in need. She added that the Centre is not intended as a permanent residence but as a temporary shelter focused on skill development to prepare persons with disabilities for the labor market and society. “We aim to incubate persons with disabilities with skills and make them ready for the market,” she explained. To improve daily life, the team is working to introduce dietary timetables, structured learning sessions, and regular activities to promote routine and growth.

Looking ahead, the Centre plans new initiatives to encourage economic empowerment and self-reliance. “We plan to establish a dedicated outlet to market products made by persons with disabilities,” said Sonam Deki, hoping this will increase income opportunities and social inclusion. Additionally, the Centre continues its monthly allowance program, providing ten residents with Nu. 1,000 each to help cover essentials such as hygiene products.

Plans are also in progress to expand treatment and support services, including supplying new artificial limbs for amputees to improve mobility and quality of life. Skills development and caregiver training remain priorities, with activities designed to empower residents. The Centre is also exploring cultural exchange programs with partners in New Delhi to promote learning, broaden perspectives, and strengthen international disability networks.

For Kinley Dorji, a caregiver at the Centre, the work is deeply personal. “They treat me like their own brother,” he said. “And I treat them as my own family because many of them have no one else. I have been a caregiver for six to seven years now, and I understand their pain because I have lived through it myself.”

“If you help someone with your heart, then you don’t need professional training,” he added. “It’s the mindset that matters.” Reflecting on his childhood, he said, “I grew up without parents, so I understand the struggles and the pain that come with that.”

One challenge he faces is the lack of private transportation. “I want to take the children outside sometimes, just for a change of environment,” he said, “but not having a car makes that difficult. It feels suffocating for them to always stay inside.”

Despite these difficulties, Kinley finds encouragement in community support. “Society really appreciates what I do,” he said. “That support gives me strength to keep going.”
He also stressed the need for infrastructure designed with long-term accessibility. “Everyone experiences some form of disability as they age,” he noted. “If we keep that in mind now, we can create inclusive environments that help people live with dignity.”

The Wheelchair Centre of Hope and Joy stands as a strong example of how grassroots innovation can lead to lasting, institutional change. It offers a replicable model for inclusive service delivery in low-resource settings and confirms the transformative power of community-driven solutions to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.