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Guardian Angel Projects

   In the bush, urgencies are directly visible or are presented to us first-hand. Part of the uniqueness of TurtleWill is our ability to respond spontaneously and resolve quickly. We call these "Guardian Angel” programs. We are proud of this ability to make a difference so quickly.

The story of “Illa Ada and the 4 Wheelchairs”
from our March, 2002 Medical Mission in Niger

  Polio has been rampant in West Africa for a long time and has left a devastating toll of handicapped people. It is not unusual to see many young handicapped people peddling around in the bright blue African version of a wheelchair: an oversize tricycle with 3 big wheels and a chair for the seat. The peddling is done with the hands at the handlebar level and speed and maneuverability are quite remarkable. (Today almost everyone is reached by vaccination campaigns.)

The African tricycle wheelchair

   We first met 15 year old Illa Ada in the town of Abalak in Niger at the beginning of our March, 2002 TurtleWill program. We were on our way to Wodaabe Chief Tambari’s camp to run a bush clinic. Illa came over to visit with us when we stopped for sodas. Illa is a polio victim and only has the use of the upper half of his legs, so he walks on his knees instead. He uses poles and pulls himself along with the lower half of each leg dragging behind him. He protects himself by tying flip flop sandals underneath his knees and another piece of rubber underneath his feet.

Illa Ada with his poles and flip flop sandals under his knees to prevent scraping.

   Four days later we passed through Abalak again on our way to the next camp and bush clinic. Illa Ada came poling up to say hello. I found myself wondering why didn’t Illa have a Blue Tricycle like other polio victims in other towns? Perhaps the humanitarian agencies in charge of such items had just not made it to the smaller towns like Abalak. I had only seen one other crippled child in Abalak and he was able to use crutches. I hoped this was the extent of the polio damage in Abalak.

   That night I went to sleep imprinted with the image of Illa Ada poling himself for the rest of his life along the main street in Abalak. I woke up in the morning with the solution: find Illa Ada a Blue Tricycle!

   At breakfast I asked my staff of drivers and guards if someone could drive back to Abalak, find Illa Ada and his parents and verify that he didn’t actually have a tricycle. Then, get their permission for him to have one. Aghali and Outala were chosen to go. They were back in 5 hours with the father’s accord.

   Now we had 5 days to find the tricycle and get it ready so we could deliver it to Illa on our drive back to Niamey at the end of the week. We arrived in Agadez the following day and I immediately put out the word that I needed a wheelchair right away. Within an hour “Blue Tricycles” were coming from all directions. They were all in terrible shape though and things were looking a little rough, when Barney arrived. Barney runs my tours in Niger, oversees all our TurtleWill projects and can resolve anything. He told me to leave it to him. He would find the best bike he could, negotiate a good price and then take it to his garage where Freddy, his French mechanic would put it in tip-top shape. And so I left it in the hands of Barney and we headed out of town for another TurtleWill project.

Freddy the mechanic and his assistant getting ready to refurbish Illa Ada's wheelchair.

   The next morning we were back in Agadez. The Tricycle was at Barney’s waiting to be worked on. The frame was about all that was left of it. It was a new bike but had been completely cannibalized for parts. Barney promised that Freddy would make it perfect. I requested a new coat of paint and that Illa Ada’s name be painted on the back. And then we left town again for two more days in the bush on other projects.

   We arrived back in town on Friday and went straight to see the Tricycle. Barney had just finished a ride around the compound in it and was looking very pleased. It was working perfectly...easy to peddle and a good strong brake! Freddy proudly showed me all the new parts and Barney showed me even more proudly the covered cushions he had made. Illa Ada’s name was painted impeccably on the back.

   On Saturday our minivan arrived at the hotel to drive us back to Niamey. Illa Ada’s bright Blue Tricycle was already loaded on the top, gleaming in the sunlight. We loaded ourselves in, and headed off. Three hours later we pulled over in Abalak and I gave the word to find Illa Ada. Within minutes there was a crowd around the van.

The TurtleWill March, 2002 Medical Mission crew ready for departure with Illa Ada's chair loaded on top of the van.

   A man came over as the Tricycle was being unloaded and asked me who the tricycle was for. I explained and he asked me if I would come see another polio victim who couldn’t walk at all. But it wasn’t possible just then. Illa Ada was slowly poling himself across the street surrounded by a host of people. He looked up and saw the tricycle being unloaded, and his eyes glazed over. I will never forget the look on his face. He poled his way to the tricycle which by now was on the ground and suddenly he was being lifted up by the townspeople and placed in the seat. “Wait” I cried, “his cushions!” They picked him up again and I slipped the cushions underneath him.

   Now he was settled in and the training session was on. For the next 15 minutes, accompanied by the townspeople, we went through a series of maneuver: left turns, right turns and braking. He picked up the braking very quickly and once he got the hang of it, he picked up speed. I walked back to the van as he was heading up the street in his very own Blue Tricycle.

This photo captures Illa during his first moments using his new chair. He is still wearing the rubber sandals on his knees. He peddles and steers with his hands, so you can imagine the impact of this new mobility and independence in the life of this young boy!

I looked for the man who had approached me about the other polio victim. Together we went dashing down the road accompanied by Aghali and Maya, one of our volunteers. Half a block on the asphalt and then a sharp right turn up a little dirt road, and suddenly there was our next candidate for “TurtleWill’s Blue Tricycle Corps”, a 40 year old man, Ibrahim Garba, with withered legs. To move, he had to scoot around on his bottom. And sitting right next to him was his wife, Iddoukoul Koylu, very pretty and equally paralyzed. How devastating for two people to be crippled like that. How miraculous that they had found each other.

   They greeted me with warm smiles and I explained that I couldn’t promise anything as I was on my way out of the country, but I would do my best. I wrote down their names, we chatted briefly and then we started to leave. “Wait, wait,” yelled my guide. “There’s another man just up the path here.” And so we dashed out and further up the dirt lane, Maya, Aghali and I accompanied by this man whose name I don’t even remember. And sure enough, just a short distance away was our 4th Blue Tricycle Corps candidate, a 42 year old man named Issouf Hamza whose legs were withered underneath him. Again I explained that I couldn’t promise anything but I would do my best.

Issouf Hamza is 43 years old. His lower legs have been completely withered from polio since he was very young. He uses little wooden blocks under his hands to help him scoot around. TurtleWill also provided Issouf with his first wheelchair in April, 2002 just 3 weeks after meeting him.

   We said goodbye and the three of us rushed back to the van where the rest of our group was waiting. Elizabeth announced that at last sighting Illa Ada was still peddling enthusiastically up the road. What a remarkable change the arrival of the Blue Tricycle had already made in the life of this crippled 15-year old boy.

Ibrahim and Iddoukoul are married. They have spent almost their entire lives on the ground. TurtleWill provided them with their first wheelchairs in April, 2002 just 3 weeks after a "chance" meeting with them.

   On the way to Niamey I worked out my plan with Aghali. I would ask Barney to order three new Blue Tricycles from the factory in Niamey. Then I would hire the mini-van to haul them to Abalak. Barney would send Aghali from Agadez to Abalak to rendezvous with the minivan because only Aghali would know where to find our three new friends.

Two of the three wheelchairs fresh from the factory. "Don de TurtleWill" translates to "Gift of TurtleWill"

   Illa Ada’s Tricycle had cost $150. And now for $250 per person, we would also be able to change the lives of three more people who had spent lifetimes of 40 years each on the ground. Soon they would be able to greet people at eye level, take a stroll around town, even enjoy a social hour with neighbors at the local market.

   It is truly amazing and miraculous what can be done with such small sums of money. I call these special projects “Guardian Angel” projects. There were many angels at work here!

   Ibrahim, Idoukoul and Issouf each received their chairs three weeks after our "chance" encounter. The wheelchairs were custom manufactured in Niamey for them, and delivered to each of them personally in Abalak, over 600 miles away, for a cost of $250 per wheelchair.

Wheelchairs in Mali:

Buying wheelchairs is not a new event to TurtleWill. In November, 2000 while on expedition, the "Toohey Group" purchased this chair for Modibo Dialo in Niafunke, Mali. Modibo was 36 years old and had never had a wheelchair.

A few members of the very same "Toohey" group also jumped in and rescued this group of handicappers in Mopti, who were about to be evicted from their one-room rental. This rental, which housed 8 people, served as home, workshop and boutique for selling their handicrafts. The group paid the 6 months past rent as well as the next 12 months! A little money goes so far. Cost? $125 !!! In the photo, along with our Malian friends are Jim Toohey, Carl Gregory, Ryan Gregory and Susan Champion.

Addendum: Ethiopia

This is our young friend Sallo in Borana Territory in Southern Ethiopia. Her wheelchair is being delivered in September, 2002. Wheelchairs in Ethiopia cost $400 including delivery.