Mc Donald Shona
Organization: Shonaquip
Year Founded: 1992
Country: South Africa
Website: www.Shonaquip.co.za
Shonaquip is committed to improving the quality of life of people living with severe disabilities in southern Africa by designing, manufacturing, supplying and supporting user-appropriate wheelchairs. Focus: Disability, Health, Children and Youth Geographic area of impact: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe Model: Social Business Number of Direct Beneficiaries: 4,500+ (2009) Annual Budget: US$ 2,146,000 (2008) Percentage Earned Revenue: 100% Recognition: Social Entrepreneur of the Year, South Africa, 2009 Background The World Health Organization estimates that there are about 65 million people globally who need wheelchairs that meet their individual needs, function and environmental conditions, and provides proper fit and postural support based on sound biomechanical principles. Approximately 80% of all wheelchair users will need equipment that requires some form of adaptation and further postural support modifications to be functionally supported and to prevent or delay further secondary health complications. Wheelchair users by definition of their individual needs have a wide range of mobility requirements. They all need a wheelchair which is appropriate and enhances their mobility and quality of life with dignity. It is in this field that Shonaquip specializes. Innovation and Activities What makes Shonaquip difficult to compete with is its innovative, appropriately designed mobility and assistive products together with supportive training of healthcare workers and family members within both the public and private healthcare systems. It is with South Africa’s impoverished, disabled communities in mind that Shonaquip provides clinical services and professional and clinical training on safe wheelchair provision for therapists, rehabilitation workers, wheelchair users, their care providers and families in 10 of the country’s 11 provinces. Progress on each client is monitored on an ongoing basis. Through partnerships with government, civil society, universities and the private sector, it has played the leading role in influencing national and international policy, and improving the quality of life to people, and in particular children, with disabilities, through the dramatically enhanced services and provision of easily customized, environmentally appropriate equipment in all communities of these emerging economies. For example, the Madiba Buggy (in honour of Nelson Mandela’s traditional name) was the first South African wheelchair that could be used not only on flat paved roads and urban areas, but over uneven terrain, in sand, and over hills and rocks. Fifteen years after its introduction, many of the original wheelchairs from the first production batch are still in use in rural areas of the country. Roughly half of Shonaquip’s income is from government, with 30% coming from private clients and medical insurers, and 20% from humanitarian agencies and NGOs. The Entrepreneur Shona McDonald was an artist until the birth of her quadriplegic daughter. This drove her to find a more effective solution to the future mobility of her daughter. After starting two non-profit organizations that still play an important role in advocating for rights of the disabled, this self-taught entrepreneur started the Shonaquip business out of frustration with not being able to sustainably scale appropriately designed wheelchair devices and associated training services. Shona is an Endeavor Entrepreneur and a contributor and peer reviewer to the World Health Organization’s guidelines on the provision of manual wheelchairs in less resources settings.
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