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500 Wheelchairs Donated to People in Kosovo

Luan Ibraj

Fri., Feb. 6, 2004

On January 29, 2004The Wheelchair Foundation and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints donated 500 wheelchairs to the people of Kosovo in a ceremony held at the Grand Hotel in Pristina. Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi hosted the event, in which a number of Kosovar and international officials participated, in order to highlight the commitment of the government to assist people with disabilities.

Mrs. Marcie Ries, Chief of Mission of the U.S. Office - Pristina, participated in the donation ceremony. Speaking from the U.S. Office - Pristina, Mrs. Ries said that "Enabling handicapped persons to move about in their homes and in public is the first step in integrating them into the larger society. There are many handicapped persons in Kosovo who are ready and eager to contribute in person to Kosovo's political, economic, and social life, but lack the mobility to do so. This donation of 500 wheelchairs will help many people - especially children - to regain their mobility and participate in Kosovo's community life."

Mr. Halit Ferizi, President of the Association of Paraplegics and Handicapped Children of Kosovo (HANDIKOS) received a donation of 500 wheelchairs worth $80,000 from Mr. Johann Wondra, a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and the Wheelchair Foundation. Among the guests invited were, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, Mr. Harri Holkeri, Special Representative of the Secretary General, UNMIK, Mrs. Marcie Ries, Chief of Mission of the United States Office Pristina, Major General Giuseppe Gay, Deputy Commander KFOR, and Dr. Resmije Mumcu, Minister of Health, Kosovo.

The wheelchairs will be distributed by HANDIKOS over the next few months to Kosovar people, especially children, with disabilities, without regard to nationality, religion, ethnicity or cultural background. During the ceremony, 15 wheelchairs were presented to individuals with disabilities. The wheelchairs were purchased for the people of Kosovo using financial contributions of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Wheelchair Foundation. The Ministry of Health and HANDIKOS formed a partnership with the Church and the Wheelchair Foundation to acquire and distribute the wheelchairs. KFOR assisted in offloading and assembly.

The objective of the donation to HANDIKOS is to provide mobility to people with physical disabilities; the premise is that there are no "disabled people," but only "people with disabilities." Given tools such as wheelchairs, people with disabilities are provided hope, self-reliance and increased self-esteem. This enables them to achieve their full potential, and to make a unique contribution to society.

The Wheelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organization leading an international effort to create awareness of the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities, to promote the joy of giving, create global friendship, and to deliver a wheelchair to every child, teen and adult in the world who needs one but cannot afford one. The Foundation works with many organizations, such as the Church, to share funding of wheelchair projects throughout the world. The Foundation was established in 2000 by Mr. Kenneth Behring.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has 12 million members worldwide and has been an active part of the Balkan Region since 1978, having branches in several cities. In the past three years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided $2,656,329 in humanitarian resources to the people of Kosovo.