The Israeli Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam, decided to take the budget allocated for a party celebrating Israel’s 69th Independence Day in May and use it to purchase 100 innovative lightweight wheelchairs from Israeli company Wheelchairs of Hope to donate to needy local children.

In a ceremony held at the Orthopedic and Functional Rehabilitation Center in Hanoi on June 22, Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Meirav Eilon Shaha presented 20 colorful Wheelchairs of Hope to a festive crowd, sending a message of solidarity and friendship.

The remaining 80 wheelchairs will be delivered to additional rehabilitation centers in four provinces in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho, Ben Tre and Ha Giang.

On Israel Independence Day, 250 Wheelchairs of Hope were donated to mobility-challenged children under the age of nine in Israel and PA territories, some of them earmarked for Syrian refugee children.

In addition, more than 600 Wheelchairs of Hope have been delivered to disabled children in Peru and Tajikistan through a philanthropic foundation and the World Health Organization.

Wheelchairs of Hope was among the first recipients of the Grand Challenges Israel (GCI) grant, dedicated to supporting technological and innovative solutions to challenges in global health and food security in developing countries.

GCI is operated by the Israel Innovation Authority in collaboration with MASHAV, Israel’s agency for international development cooperation, as part of Israel’s commitment to share its knowledge and experience to inspire and support fellow nations in their struggle with development challenges.