A Joëlette is a means of transport, designed and manufactured in France, which has changed the lives of a large number of handicapped persons by enabling them to discover forests, mountains and nature. It's a sort of "all-terrain" wheelchair, equipped with a single wheel and pushed by an assistant. Thanks to this invention developed in 1990s by a company in Saint-Étienne, Bulgarian children will now discover the joys of outings in the wild, regardless - or almost - of the quality of the land. In Bulgaria, handicapped children are still too often trapped in "children's homes", rather sad orphanages, or cloistered in their families, who are stymied by the lack of resources and national programs adapted to their handicaps.
Having a ride in a 4×4 wheelchair: new prospects for Bulgaria's handicapped children
Taking the kids out in a wheelchair ... and in the forest!Here's an original project initiated in Bulgaria, largely thanks to the Fondation Outward Bound and to the arrival of "all-terrain" wheelchairs manufactured in France.
A brand new opening to the wild for these kids, too often deprived of open air activities.
Onward and outward, always more open to others
Developed by Fondation Outward Bound, an organization which has over seventy years experience in the United Kingdom, the USA and some 30 other countries, the Bulgarian project backed by the Veolia Environnement Foundation will help these young persons to experience the joys of reaching beyond themselves and opening to the outside world.
From March to October, the "Trinity Rock" farm, accessible to handicapped persons, will receive groups of ramblers consisting half of handicapped and half of healthy children, for six days. Every child in a Joëlette will be accompanied by a parent or an assistant.
The costs will be paid by the families to avoid impacting the operating budget.
The program includes familiarization with the environment and with nature, a photography workshop, joint activities for handicapped and healthy children.
Two visits will be scheduled every month, making a total of sixteen. The experiment, unique in Bulgaria, will start in spring of 2010. Initiated by Lucile Colmiche, a former doctor installed in Bulgaria since 2006, it will probably put the smile back on the faces of these young people.
