Over 10% of the world’s population or 650 million people around the world live with a disability (WHO).  65 million of those need a wheelchair. In under-resourced countries, 52 million people are in need.

However not any wheelchair will do. And a wheelchair that is donated from a developed country rarely solves the problem.

People with disabilities who live in rural areas or periurban settlements have a particular dilemma -- without access to a wheelchair, their family must transport them when necessary. Many are carried or carted.

Lucinda has worked on the following projects to solve this global social challenge.

In South Africa alone, 500,000 people need a wheelchair. Shonaquip is an award-winning social enterprise that designs, manufactures and distributes custom-fitted wheelchairs while taking a comprehensive approach to wheelchair provision.

Uhambo Foundation, a South African non profit, has recently been established to tackle research, appropriate wheelchair provision and advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities in less-resourced countries.

Lucinda’s main focus is on scaling and expanding the reach of both the social enterprise and the non-profit foundation to have a greater social impact throughout Southern Africa and eventually to other developing countries.


Lucinda is also launching Uhambo, a U.S. fundraising arm of Uhambo Foundation. Uhambo is filing for 501c3 status in the U.S. Read Uhambo's Executive Summary to learn more about the organization's objectives. 
 
Lucinda has presented at the Angel Capital Summit and the Global Health Innovate Conference on behalf of these organizations.

Lucinda's graduate team, MASA, worked for one year with a social enterprise of Zambia, Disacare. Disacare manufactures and distributes appropriate wheelchairs and other mobility aids and products for those most in need in Zambia. Disacare employs people with disabilities and trains them on building their products. The organization also teaches their customers how to properly use their chair and maintain it. 

MASA provided business assistance services to Disacare including business plan development, management training and research on financial sustainability opportunities.


Visit CSU GSSE's website for a project summary. 

I met Pierre Bataille of PlayAble at the Unreasonable Institute. Pierre is passionate about creating social inclusion for people with disabilities through sports. PlayAble is a social enterprise that implements adapted physical activities through existing local organizations. PlayAble works with experienced local organizations assisting them in the implementation phase of adaptive sport projects. PlayAble partners with local leaders as coaches during sporting events who deliver messages about rights of people with disabilities to their communities. Watch a short video about their work.

I have been involved with a number of successful new initiatives and programs. My strengths are in developing and implementing them, and creating the processes/systems to keep them sustainable and effective over time.Kicking Off New Programs/Initiatives

• Social enterprise planning, development, implementation and evaluation for a local government agency
• Creating and managing standards, business processes and efficiencies for a comprehensive career development and job search workshop program for the Larimer County Workforce Center
• Developed communication, marketing and strategic partnerships for Larimer County Business & Enterprise
• Created and implemented career development program for new graduate program (GSSE)
• Launched and implemented new fundraising team for graduate program's team projects (GSSE)
• Created and implemented mentoring program for women in transition
  

Special EventsDeveloped and implemented...

• First-ever career conference for Baby Boomers
• The community's first Laid Off Camp / Career Camp
• Career development and entrepreneurial conferences
• Partnering with colleagues to bring in notable guest speakers

Trainings/Educational ProgramsDeveloped and implemented first-ever...

• "How to Be Your Own Boss" workshop
• "1099 - Contractor class" 
• "From Laid Off to Living(c)" support groups
• Youth Entrepreneurship classes

Coaching / Facilitation

• Retreats / Trainings for staff, teams, leadership, Boards 
  
• Individual coaching (career, personal, small business)
• Strategic planning for businesses, non profits, teams, work groups
• Committee(s) facilitation
• Workshop facilitation
• Team lead for MASA
• Cohort and team facilitation for graduate program (GSSE)
  

Leadership

• Board Member, Integrative Change LLC (Miami)
• Founder, Uhambo US (Colorado)
• Advisory Member, Uhambo Foundation (South Africa)