Rita Ebel, better known as ‘Lego Oma’, was left with partial paralysis following a car accident. Rita discovered how difficult it was to get around her local shops in a wheelchair. Instead of waiting for the city to act, she reached for something a little more unconventional than concrete or steel — plastic bricks.

Rita builds wheelchair ramps out of Lego. And while they might not be regulation standard, they’re strong enough, bright enough, and fun enough to make a real difference.

The ramps not only help wheelchair-users, but also parents with prams, people on crutches, and anyone who appreciates a splash of rainbow colour on the high street. The vibrant designs even act as a visual cue for people with low vision.

At first, sourcing Lego was the hardest part but donations soon started pouring in from kind strangers.

“Getting the Legos is actually the hardest part,” Ebel told Ability Magazine. “People who have Lego at home usually don’t want to give them up because it’s something that goes through all generations.”

“And if I do get Legos, the pieces are often not suitable for my ramps, because I need the basic building blocks, but these days most of the Legos belong to a ‘Lego Friends’ or ‘Star Wars’ set.” 

Now Rita’s basement looks more like a Lego store than a storage room.