Shona McDonald, founder and CEO of Shonaquip Social Enterprise, has transformed countless lives and reshaped how people view disabilities in Southern Africa. In 1982, McDonald’s daughter, Shelly, was born with cerebral palsy. That was a time when disability support systems were nearly nonexistent, and the mother and daughter were presented with bleak, basic and inadequate options for the little girl’s complex condition. Instead of a proper assistive device, Shona was handed a flimsy cardboard insert for a pram to support her daughter.
At that point, it became clear that children like Shelly were overlooked and had no meaningful tools for their growth and independence. That was when Shona McDonald set out to create something better, not just for her daughter Shelly, but for children everywhere facing similar struggles.
The worried mother soon took matters into her own hands and began designing custom solutions for her daughter, starting with a full-body support wheelchair. By the time Shelly was two years old, she was testing out her first motorised wheelchair.
Today, Shonaquip, the company born out of a mother’s love and resilience, has reached over 12,000 disabled children annually across Southern Africa. It is currently Africa’s leading ISO 13485-certified pediatric wheelchair services provider.
Shona McDonald moves to found Shonaquip
In 1992, Shona McDonald officially founded Shonaquip, starting from a small garage workshop with just two employees. Initially, she only wanted to create assistive devices for the children and families she had met during her journey with Shelly. However, the need for such solutions was overwhelming, and word spread quickly. What began as a small operation grew into a full-fledged social enterprise.
Shonaquip Social Enterprise (SSE) is now a hybrid social enterprise consisting of Shonaquip (PTY) Ltd, the branch of the company producing the movement aid devices, Uhambo Foundation (NPC), the branch advocating for inclusion on behalf of disabled children, and their families, and the Champions of Change Trust, the branch assisting parents of disabled kids financially and morally.
Over the years, Shonaquip has expanded its offerings to include posture-support wheelchairs and customised seating devices appropriate for rugged terrain, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. Today, they employ over 75 professionals, including sewists, technicians, and therapists, who work tirelessly to provide these life-changing devices. 30% of their team members have disabilities, and their team of wheelchair technicians are wheelchair users themselves.
Shonaquip wants to create inclusive societies where children with special needs can thrive alongside their peers. The social enterprise designs affordable and durable devices tailored to the needs of each disabled child. In addition to the physical tools, the organisation also addresses the social and emotional aspects of disability through training programs for caregivers and awareness campaigns in communities.
Shona McDonald, through Shonaquip, is fighting for a world in which disability is no longer a barrier to education, employment, or social interaction.
Shona McDonald impacts Africa
Since its inception, Shonaquip has provided over 69,000 wheelchairs and reached over 75,000 children across Southern Africa. More than 12,000 families annually benefit from its devices and support services. Additionally, Shona McDonald trains healthcare professionals and community workers through her company, equipping them with the skills to support children with disabilities long after the initial intervention.
