Among those aiding in the relief efforts is Valluvan Thillairajah. He is a volunteer working alongside the Australian charity, Vanni Hope, to bring much-needed flood relief to the affected communities in Sri Lanka.

Thillairajah, captured in a photograph standing next to a heap of flood debris, is actively involved in these humanitarian efforts under Vanni Hope’s banner.

Currently residing in Melbourne, Thillairajah is a medical student who expressed deep gratitude for the imminent arrival of a shipment containing 121 wide-tyre wheelchairs. These wheelchairs promise to significantly enhance mobility options for some of Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable individuals.

Flooding in Sri Lanka has destroyed major roads and washed away paths, making transport challenging.

“Oh, the reward when you hand a child a wheelchair, it just takes my breath away,” La Rance said.

Des La Rance has supervised wheelchair production for almost 30 years. Source: SBS / Matt Guest

La Rance’s idea to start the charity stemmed from a trip to Fiji in 1996.

“And she said: ‘I am going to town. I’ve never been to town’.”

Des La Rance said supporting a child with disability by giving them a wheelchair is a profoundly rewarding experience for him. Source: Supplied / Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club/Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust

Almost 30 years later, La Rance still produces wheelchairs from dumped and unwanted bicycles.

And there is no shortage of raw materials, with more than 300,000 bicycles discarded every year, most of which end up in landfill.

A labour of love

For Wheelchair Trust chairman Geoff Croad, collecting and repurposing unwanted bikes is nothing short of a labour of love.

The Gold Coast-based trust has converted around 40,000 discarded bikes into wheelchairs. Source: SBS / Matt Guest

“There was one building in Surfers Paradise that had 40 to 50 bikes sitting in the basement,” Croad said.

“We have delivered them to 31 different countries in the world, across Asia and Africa and even to Ukraine,” he said. “And also through the Pacific, including Samoa and Fiji.”

The design has become so sought-after that Des La Rance said the charity is struggling to keep up with demand. Source: SBS / Matt Guest

The design has become so sought-after that La Rance said the charity is struggling to keep up with demand.

“I never imagined this at all,” he said.

The project produces 400 wheelchairs annually and hopes to double its capacity next year. Source: Supplied / Surfers Sunrise Rotary Club/Surfers Sunrise Wheelchair Trust

In countries with limited government support, many children with restricted mobility are excluded socially and from school — a situation this project helps to change.