Appeal for Sevenj to get a Mobility Scooter

Aim

Please donate to help Sevenj raise funds to buy a much needed mobility scooter that will prevent her from being housebound

Sevenj* is a woman in her 20s living in Glasgow. Sevenj is currently housebound and suffers chronic pain as a result of complications from contracting Polio virus when she was a child which has left her paralysed down her right-hand side. 

For Sevenj day-to-day this means she cannot get around without the help of a chair or being carried, she cannot carry out simple household tasks or self-care. Sevenj also has a young son who she is the primary carer for and her paralysis reduced her ability to do all the things she would like to when looking after and enjoying time with him. For Sevenj, her condition has taken away her independence and is significantly affecting her mental wellbeing. 

Sevenj is also an asylum seeker who fled from her own country in order to seek refuge in the UK. For anyone else in Sevenj's position the NHS would do a social work referral that would result in Sevenj being provided with an electric scooter - the only way she can be independently mobile. However, because Sevenj is in the asylum system she does not qualify for this. (This is as a result of the UK government's hostile environment policies that label Sevenj and her family 'No Recourse to Public Funds' meaning they can only access extremely limited services). The asylum process can take years in the UK and therefore Sevenj does not know when this could change.

Sevenj has researched all the other options available to her including NHS provisions (NHS funds limit her to a manual wheelchair which she cannot use due to upper limbs being affected by paralysis as well), and phoning and emailing local charities for disability and migrants. Sevenj is being discriminated against because of her asylum status. Her mental and physical wellbeing is being greatly affected by her situation and her lack of autonomy in it.

Sevenj and friends are now trying to raise money themselves to be able to buy Sevenj a decent mobility scooter (priced at around £1,200-1,300) with insurance for repairs etc (£100-200) and a yearly bus pass (as Sevenj currently doesn't have the right to work and only receives £37.70/week from the UK government).

Please help us raise enough to provide Sevenj with some independence and the ability to spend more time with her son outside!

This fundraiser was organised with the help of MORE (Migrants Organising for Rights and Empowerment), who also fundraised and donated £500 for this crowdfunder. https://www.facebook.com/MORE-Migrants-Organising-for-Rights-Empowerment-606036873186603

*Sevenj has asked that their real name not be used. 

This project successfully funded on 26th April 2021