Independence Is Goal for Wheelchair Users
When most people first see Biljana Nedic, they might not imagine dancing as one of her favorite pastimes. But that all changes once the music starts and Biljana starts moving her body and twirling her wheelchair to the beat.
Biljana is a trainer with UDAS, a non-profit organization of wheelchair users based in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina. With USAID support, UDAS recently linked with the Motivation Romania Foundation to provide custom-fitted wheelchairs and repairs for people with disabilities. Motivation Romania provides the parts and UDAS assembles and distributes the wheelchairs free of charge.
For Biljana, one of the most important aspects of the program is the support it provides. “Some of our members were injured only recently and are still in the phase where they think their lives have ended. We try to teach them that being in a wheelchair is something they can accept.”
Trainers accompany peers in their daily routines, teaching them to cook, clean, use stairs and even dance in their chairs. “Most people we train never left their houses. Now they are out socializing and learning,” says Biljana with a smile.
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| Biljana Nedic is working to remove barriers in Bosnia-Herzegovina so that wheelchair users can go to the cinema, theater and supermarket without assistance |
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