Bolivians Without disAbilities (BWD) was founded by Matt Pepe, who traveled and lived in Bolivia for four years. Matt started as a simple volunteer in a hospital called IDAI (in Obrajes La Paz) that made a few prosthetic limbs each year. It was there that he learned of the difficulties that disabled Bolivians face. In 2010 Matt created the prosthesis clinic: Centro de Miembros Artificiales in La Paz Bolivia. In 2015 Matt decided to expand his vision to support other marginalized disabled groups by creating and incorporating “Bolivians Without disAbilities“ (BWD) in the state of Florida as a 501(c)3 non-profit. The aim of BWD is to utilize funding, education, volunteers, medical care, and advocacy to support all disabled Bolivians.
Bolivians Without Disabilities operates in partnership with other charities and non-profit groups to deliver effective support in Bolivia. As of 2017 and continuing past the end of 2021, we began and continue to work with CreoTec to build and provide 3D printed hands and arms for low-income Bolivians.
Click here to read some examples of how we have changed the lives of disabled Bolivians.
Our commitments as an organization are:
- To provide funding and volunteers to Bolivian organizations that attempt to eliminate and/or alleviate disabilities in Bolivia.
- To offer funding to non-profit Bolivian prosthetic organizations that provide prosthesis to low-income Bolivian amputees.
- To promote awareness in the United States of Bolivian disabilities, so that other interested organizations may provide their support, either in concert with our organization or on their own.
- To promote the transfer of technologies to Bolivia, such as locally manufacturable prosthetic components, hearing aids and batteries, the use of Adaptive Furniture Technology for babies and young children, and more.
- To attempt to coordinate the delivery of wheelchairs from international non-profits who donate wheelchairs to local partners.
If you are part of an organization supporting disabled Bolivians, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Also, find out how you can donate to make a difference in the lives of disabled Bolivians.
