This special program brings life and hope to children suffering from both extreme poverty and disabilities

During the 2002 Everyman census and vaccination tours, Omar saw children lying on the floor, or on couches all day because they had no means of being moved. Some were carried, or dragged. Others were wheeled around in makeshift carts. As a result, Omar revisited all of the families he had
identified in this position. He then selected those who were worst affected (Extreme poverty and disability).

Omar took a volunteer doctor with him to each location. The doctor specified the appropriate wheelchair for each child’s size and disability.

Then, working with the wonderful USA based foundation Wheels of Hope, we procured the customized wheelchairs which were shipped to Colon for distribution by Omar and his team. The result revolutionized the lives of 15 children and their families in 2002.

Omar named the project “DOING WHAT WE CAN.” This name reflects the frustration he was feeling, in that the problem he saw was so large, he felt this name would serve as a call for more help from others.  In conjunction with Wheels Of Hope Foundation, the Doing What We can program is an ongoing, year round project.

It has now moved beyond wheelchairs and consists of distributing all sorts of mobility equipment to those with disabilities and the distribution of medical supplies and equipment to hospitals for the poor.

The entire community rallies around this program. In 2006 Omar reported:

Last week Everyman worked with the first lady of Panama and found the way to receive all the Wheels of Hope equipment via the Free Zone Market. The Colon free Zone Market Administration will do all the duty paperwork so the equipment can enter Panama for distribution by Everyman Foundation. The first lady congratulated us for the good work we have done this last five years. She said that everyone speaks well about Everyman. I had to contain my emotions when she expressed this to me. Immediately, I thought of you and all the people who make this thing possible. We are ready to go! We are distributing the items to the selected children and to local hospitals, HIV homes, government elders homes and the Sisters of Calcutta home.”