Tamba is a 6th-grade student getting ready for junior high school. He is a social butterfly and one of the most popular kids I know. Right now, Tamba depends on others to push him where he wants to go, and with an electric wheelchair, he will have more autonomy to socialize in junior high and build lifelong skills for independence.
Because of Tamba's disability, he relies heavily on technology to communicate and get around. Unless you know Tamba well, his communication style may be misunderstood. He has outgrown his manual wheelchair, and unfortunately, insurance will not cover an electric wheelchair for his family. We have him on a waitlist through a philanthropic organization, but the waitlist is long. As someone who cares about Tamba, it is hard to see him sad when he is misunderstood or when his request to say hi to friends is denied because he is dependent on the person helping him.
After we raise money for his motorized wheelchair, any remaining funds will go directly to Tamba's family to help build wheelchair ramps leading to his front door and down the garage stairs, where Tamba practices strength training and physical therapy with his dad, Mamadou, who is also a karate master.
To everyone who hasn't met Tamba, let me say that he is a sweet, social, and intuitive student who enjoys making friends. He has grown so much in the past few years using an iPad to communicate. Tamba asks to be pushed fast, turn around, go, stop, go left, go right, go outside, and more. He wants to move. We are simply asking for a little help to get him there. He and his family are very deserving of this support.
There are many hoops to jump through when trying to get insurance companies to cover a mobility device for a student like Tamba, but myself and his team—his Speech Pathologist, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Adaptive PE teachers, and educational aides—all know that he has what it takes to learn this skill. With more autonomy, his quality of life will improve and open up more opportunities as he continues through his educational career and life.