Volunteers in Queensland build 11,000 all-terrain wheelchairs for people in need

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17-year old Kiki lives on Vanuatu. With his new and colourful wheelchair he finally gains some mobility. It has been built by the volunteers of the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust. Source: Supplied / Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club/Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust

In a community workshop in Surfers Paradise, a group of men and women build wheelchairs out of discarded bikes, some plywood and BMX tires. And for almost 30 years now, these have been changing the lives of people in need in developing countries all over the world. Franz Huber has been involved in the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust project of the Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club right from the start. In an interview, he talks about the beginnings and how the volunteers have managed to build over 11,000 wheelchairs to date.


For more stories, interviews, and news from SBS German, explore our podcast collection here.

For more information about the Surfers Sunrise Wheelchairtrust, click here.

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Vor fast zehn Jahren wurden die ersten selbst gebauten Rollstühle nach Fiji gebracht. Source: Supplied / Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club/Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust

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Franz Huber lebt heute an der Gold Coast und geniesst seinen Ruhestand. Credit: Justin Gittins @radical_imaging

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