About Power International

POWER was conceived in 1994 to offer free, high quality limbs to landmine victims in countries recently ravaged by conflict, and to train local people and organizations to deliver these services.

In 1995, under the guidance and encouragement of the International Committee for the Red Cross, it established a programme in Mozambique and another in Laos. POWER has also worked in Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zambia.

POWER's vision is of a world in which disabled people are enabled to receive the assistance they need so that they may participate fully in the economic and social life of their communities.

All who suffer motor-disability, from any cause, can avail themselves of POWER's services, currently free of charge. The UK headquarters is in High Wycombe, staffed by two full, and 2 part-time, employees.

Our history

In 1995, POWER set up two programmes: in Mozambique it took over four orthopaedic clinics from the International Committee for the Red Cross, and expanded the service with funds mainly from the United States Agency for International Development, and UNICEF.

In Laos, the charity began by refurbishing the clinic in the capital, Vientiane, with funds from the Sasakawa Foundation and the British ODA (now the Department for International Development).

Since that time, in Laos it has completed the refurbishment of five clinics, and treated people regionally with free artificial limbs, braces, wheelchairs and crutches.

POWER has sent 10 Lao technicians to Cambodia to be trained as highly qualified professionals.
Its main work now is to settle these technicians into their country's nationwide service, and to develop Laos' only association for disabled people so that all disabled people can have a voice in civil society.

The charity's main funding in Laos has been from the Community Fund, The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, and AusAid through World Vision (Laos).

In Mozambique it has worked in nine of the country's 10 provinces, providing materials for artificial limbs, limb braces, wheelchairs and crutches, and overseeing the quality of the service.

POWER sponsors two Mozambican students in the UK to become that country's first fully qualified prosthetist/orthotists. The charity works in partnership with Mozambique main association for the disabled, ADEMO, to provide vocation training, education for disabled children, and assistance to all local disability organizations in management and finance.

It has recently been awarded a grant from the European Commission for our work for disability organizations. Again, the aim is to provide all disabled people in the country with the means to help themselves.