We know monkeys are smart. They’re also cute. And remember when you were a kid and you wanted a monkey as a pet, just like the one in that Indiana Jones movie, except you wouldn’t be feeding your monkey any poisoned dates? No, oh, well, the point is, monkeys are smart and cute and now they help people.

Just like guide dogs, these monkeys are trained to help people with disabilities lead a normal life.

The monkeys are trained by Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, a national nonprofit organisation, who then assigns the monkeys to assist quadriplegics, the mobility-impared and people with severe spinal cord injuries in their daily lives.

The organisation is able to, through volunteers and generous donations of every kind and amount, place the monkeys with the disabled at no cost!

For those of us who are abled, it doesn’t take much – a sprained ankle, a broken arm, back pain – to give us a glimpse into the world of the disabled, and realise not only how lucky we are, but how much it means to someone who is permanently disabled to get some independence back into their lives.

And, let’s face it, having a monkey also makes you cool.

In all seriousness, we think Helping Hands is a wonderful thing, and these monkeys are doing something amazing, too. So to read more about this organisation, to volunteer, make a donation, have a peek at monkey college, or find out how you can apply for a Helping Hands Monkey, click here.