Merits restarts supply of Motivation wheelchairs for people living in low-resourced regions
Merits Health Products, Motivation Charitable Trust’s exclusive manufacturing partner of 25 years, has restarted production and global access to the full Motivation wheelchair range for people living in low-resourced regions.
For more than 30 years, Motivation has been at the forefront of appropriate wheelchair provision, designing, advocating and delivering solutions that transform mobility.
This clinical foundation is recognised and respected worldwide with its products and training considered essential to rehabilitation services, humanitarian missions and sports programmes across Africa, Asia, and beyond.
From consulting on the development of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on wheelchair provision, to creating rough terrain wheelchairs and developing entry-level sports wheelchairs that open the door to play and compete, Motivation is a lifeline for international NGOs, sports federations and rehabilitation services worldwide.
Over the last 10 years, Motivation states that it has intentionally decentralised its work, moving resources, leadership and decision-making closer to the communities it serves.
Teams in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, India and neighbouring regions now lead the work in places where access to appropriate wheelchairs can be as low as 10 per cent.
Motivation says global pressures, such as cuts to international aid, tougher fundraising conditions, rollbacks on inclusion and deepening global conflicts, placed a significant strain on the charity.
In late 2025, Motivation UK decided to bring its decentralisation forward and close its UK operation.
Motivation’s programmes in Africa and Asia continue, yet the closure threatened to halt the supply of Motivation’s range of wheelchairs, seating systems, trikes, parts and sports products that many international aid and sports organisations relied on.
In March 2026, Merits Health Products stepped in with an agreement that immediately restarted production and global access to the full Motivation product range.
Jonathan Cheng, President of Merits Health Products Inc. LLC, commented: “It’s a natural fit for Merits. Our ambition is always to create the best products in their class, with functionality for people and the services that support them. The Motivation brand fits right in.”
“This range is often the starting point for many of the world’s poorest people to access mobility, education, employment and rights. We are thrilled to play a small part in that journey. This work is so vital that, alongside wheelchair production, Merits is committed to supporting Motivation’s ongoing work in Africa and Asia, developing the ecosystem required for mobility to be a right, not an act of charity.”
The WHO estimates that around 65 million people worldwide need an appropriate wheelchair, yet in some countries only one in 10 people have access. Assistive technology, including glasses, hearing aids, prosthetics, walking aids and wheelchairs, is essential for participation, dignity and independence. It enables people to contribute fully to their families, communities and economies.
Amanda Wilkinson, former Motivation CEO, said: “With global supply under pressure and funding continuing to tighten, meeting disabled people’s right to an appropriate wheelchair is increasingly difficult. That’s why our partnership with Merits is so important: it’s grounded in shared values, purpose and commitment to quality.
“Merits’ continuation of the Motivation range and partnership with Motivation Africa and Motivation India builds on this with a futureproof model that keeps disabled people at the heart of provision. In doing so, Merits is setting a standard for corporate global citizenship for others to follow.”
Merits have already resumed production of the full Motivation product range.
Clare Childs, Motivation Sales Manager, added: “We’re delighted that these essential products for independence are available again through Merits. Having always been made here, it feels like their natural home. We know the impact these products have in the hands of fantastic services and facilitators, and it’s a joy to see support for existing and new products back in place.”
In recent news, Merits Health Products, Inc announced the acquisition of Aergo Health, a UK based medical technology company specialising in dynamic postural management solutions for wheelchair users.
