GVF: Gift of Mobility Pull Cart ending 20 years of isolation

By technologists

From Global Village Foundation – Bali:

April 15 2020.
A few weeks ago (before the World changed) the team from Global Village visited this gentleman in the village of Ringdikit, near Seririt, in North Bali. His name is Ketut and he is 60 years old. He is disabled. He is cared for by his devoted sister. He is 75% deaf, he struggles to speak, yet manages to make himself understood. He cannot walk, he cannot feed himself, he cannot do much, yet mentally he 100%.

Inside, he has exactly the same emotions, the same feelings we all have. He lives in a tiny dark cell of a room. He sits, or lays on his very spartan bed all day every day. His only entertainment, his thoughts, & a TV donated by another charity a few months ago.
He knows what is going on in the world. He knows about the Covid-19 crisis. he knows more about isolation than all of us. He has not been out of his room since the year 2000, the year it was built for him. 20 years in isolation.

Today the GVF team were in Ringdikit Village again to deliver FOODAID parcels to many of the Covid-19 affected residents there, but especially to bring Foodaid & a wheelchair (his first ever) to Ketut. After 20 years on his bed, inside one room, Ketut didn’t know whether to laugh or cry to be in his new wheelchair, so he did both, and so did we.

With no ramps, the team were not able to bring him into the outside ‘garden’ area today, but have arranged for wheelchair ramps to be built from his room. The wheelchair is an all terrain MOBILITY WORLDWIDE Pull cart. When the ramps are built, he will experience a whole new world. His sister will be able to introduce him to the whole village. His life will begin again.
Global Village want to purchase Ketut a new mattress for his bed, a standing fan to ventilate his room, a simple floor mat, and some paint to brighten his room, and would truly appreciate any donation towards the cost.

We thank MOBILITY WORLDWIDE of the USA for providing the Pull Cart wheelchair, and we say a very grateful thank you to everybody supporting the Global Village Foundation at this most difficult time. Without you, we could not do anything. Thank you so very much. God bless you.