BELIZE CITY – After thirty years navigating life on crutches, Wilfred Garbutt has finally received a life-changing wheelchair through a humanitarian initiative that highlights both the profound need for mobility aids and the financial barriers preventing access. The U.S.-based nonprofit Chair the Love, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Belize, distributed 260 wheelchairs during a ceremonial handover this week, restoring independence to hundreds of Belizeans with mobility challenges.
Garbutt’s journey exemplifies the struggles faced by many. Having lost his leg in 1994, he spent decades as a dedicated father to three children while relying on cumbersome crutches. His first wheelchair arrived just three years ago – another donation from the same program – but until then, the prohibitive costs made ownership impossible.
“When I checked with BAPDA, they said it would cost about eight hundred dollars to get a wheelchair to Belize, including duty,” Garbutt explained. “I don’t understand why they charge duty for wheelchairs. It’s ridiculous. Even the crutches cost me two hundred and seventy-five dollars for a brand new pair. As a retired person, how could I afford that?”
The economic disparity in accessibility equipment became a central theme of the donation event. Augie Byllott, Director of Chair the Love, revealed that his organization procures wheelchairs directly from manufacturers at $200 per unit, delivered directly to ports of entry. Yet the identical chairs frequently retail for up to $1,200 in medical supply stores across Central America and Mexico due to supply chain markups.
“It’s not that anybody is trying to steal from anybody,” Byllott clarified. “But when multiple intermediaries each need to make a profit, the final cost becomes prohibitive. We bypass that system entirely by going directly from manufacturer to recipient.”
The Rotary Club of Belize, which has distributed approximately 4,000 wheelchairs over the past two decades, organized the ceremony to honor both donors and recipients. Rotarian Douglas Hyde emphasized the significance of the annual December distribution, describing it as one of their most impactful events that fundamentally transforms lives.
Beyond mere mobility, the chairs restore dignity and autonomy. Garbutt described how his previous wheelchair enabled him to maintain his household responsibilities: “As a stay-at-home dad, I prepare all meals for my three children. Moving around the house, I’m now very mobile. I could wheel myself to the shop half a mile away without depending on anybody. It gives you a sense of independence.”
The initiative represents part of Chair the Love’s broader mission to deliver 5,000 wheelchairs to fifteen countries by year’s end, addressing a critical need that intersects healthcare, economic accessibility, and human dignity.