World wheels

By EMMA SUN
A PASSIONATE Mount Evelyn volunteer is doing his part to make the lives of children in developing countries better.
Peter Klaaysen, who is a member of the Rotary Club of Lilydale, gives his time for not-for-profit organisation Wheelchairs for Kids, which donates wheelchairs to provide mobility for children around the world.
He is doing his bit to raise money for the cause by giving talks around the Yarra Ranges to explain just how much it means for the families who have nothing.
“Children who don’t have wheelchairs in developing countries sit on the ground – they can’t move because they’ve got no legs and they just get left sitting there,” he said.
“All of a sudden someone comes and puts them in a wheelchair, and it gives them freedom. They can go to school and they can go out and visit friends.
“Without those wheels, they go nowhere. It’s a relief not only for the child, but for the whole family.
“It’s life changing and I think that if we’re in a position being able to make a difference to the young children in developing countries, we should make every effort – we owe it to them.”
Wheelchairs cost $125 to make, but Mr Klaaysen said that wasn’t the problem.
It was shipping the containers full of the freedom enabling devices, which could cost anywhere from $900 to more than $10,000.
Money that was donated for the wheelchairs could not be put towards the shipping fee, so Wheelchairs for Kids enlisted the help of Mr Klaaysen, also known as the ‘freight man’, to work on it.
He said it cost them about $900 to ship 30 wheelchairs to East Timor, and then about $1000 to ship the same amount to Kiribati. The team also recently made a shipment to Tonga.
Members of the organisation are currently working towards its biggest project for this year – a shipment of 340 wheelchairs in a 40 foot container to Iraq in November.
Mr Klaaysen said the shipping would cost about $11,000 all up – money they had to raise.
“I’m more than happy to do PowerPoint presentations at schools, clubs and churches, it doesn’t matter what organisation it is, wherever a request comes, I’ll happily go,” he said.
“That’s not to ask for money, but to run the project past them and give them brochures about Wheelchairs for Kids and what we do and if they want to help, even better.”
There are currently a number of rotary clubs in the area that are contributing funds towards the cause, but Mr Klaaysen said they needed more people to get involved and show their support.
“I encourage anyone who would like to support us to contact me,” he said.
“If I was to raise too much money, then it will go straight back into wheelchairs so we would appreciate all the help we can get.”
To date, Wheelchairs for Kids has donated more than 21,000 wheelchairs to 62 countries, including Iraq, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea.
For more information about Wheelchairs for Kids, visit www.wheelchairsforkids.org
Schools or organisations looking to have Peter Klaaysen do a presentation or help through fundraising can call him on 0418 126 950.