The Return No Spreadsheet
Can Capture

“This was the last time we were going to try.”

Domercindo had been praying a long time for help for his eight-year-old son, Evans. In rural Guatemala, too many children with disabilities spend childhood on the floor, tied to chairs, even hidden in back rooms. David Castaneda, Reclaim’s Director of Transformational Community Development: Latin America, says many families “have been pushed aside” because of their child’s disability.

A $15,000 RetailROI grant changed that for 25 families, and every dollar multiplied: first on a local factory floor, then into a return on impact no spreadsheet can capture.

A Childhood Spent Indoors

Families Reclaim serves earn roughly $250 a month; a properly fitted pediatric wheelchair costs $600.

“Having a disability can mean a childhood spent largely inside the home, in bed or on the floor, without opportunities to attend school, play with other children, develop friendships, or participate in community life. In some cases, children are even kept hidden in back rooms of their homes because of the stigma and shame surrounding disability.” says Deirdre Harlow, Reclaim’s Development Director.

Mothers carry the heaviest load, and many cannot work. “These children are almost always in their mothers’ arms,” says Tony Herrera, Reclaim’s Director of Partner Programs. “Some are old enough that they’re very, very heavy, and mom is always carrying them.”

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Reclaim’s model goes far beyond handing over a wheelchair. In August 2025, families traveled up to five hours by bus from Zacapa, Sacatepéquez, and Chimaltenango to mobile clinics in Xenacoj and San Lucas. Each child was assessed and fitted on site; each family received more than three hours of therapy, caregiver training, and spiritual encouragement.

Parents learned how to safely position their children, maintain their wheelchairs, and support their ongoing development. Families were also connected to local resources, including healthcare, education, therapy, and community support.

The chairs are built by Beeline Wheelchairs, a Guatemalan manufacturer that employs people with disabilities. No international shipping. Local jobs. Investment that stays where it’s needed.

Follow-up began with a clinic in Sumpango, and with six Reclaim staff living in Guatemala, every chair will be adjusted and repaired as its child grows. All services align with the World Health Organization’s eight-step framework for wheelchair provision.

Milestones, Finally

Then came the moment. Evans was fitted into a chair made just for his body. “It felt like God had answered our prayers,” Domercindo said. “This changes everything for him, and for our whole family.”

The air was electric with excitement.

Evan revels in his new mobility.

Angel handled his new chair like a natural.

Emerson took his first steps to cheers of
“¡Tú lo puedes hacer tú solito!”
“(“You can do it all by yourself!”)

Eduardo, sitting tall, grins and waves for the camera.

“My son Mario is 18 years old and has cerebral palsy. He is receiving his first wheelchair! Finally, he will have freedom to move independently.”

— Mario Sr.

“A wheelchair is much more than a piece of equipment,” Harlow says. “It’s a doorway to dignity, hope, and opportunity, not only for one child, but for an entire family and community.”

That ripple is measurable. The RetailROI grant’s impact extends to more than 500 people: parents able to work, siblings with new freedom, communities growing more inclusive.

A Return That Compounds

The dividends keep coming. The grant also funded training for 12 local caregivers and health workers, whose skills will reach hundreds more children in the years ahead. Two RetailROI volunteers served alongside the clinic team, playing with nervous children and helping families feel seen, valued, and cared for.

In its report to RetailROI, Reclaim’s team wrote: “Because of you, the impossible is becoming a reality.”

To every RetailROI leader and partner who made transformations like this possible:
Thank You.
Fifteen thousand dollars invested.
Twenty-five children transformed.
A return on impact that will compound for generations.