Project Description
How do you get 150 prosthetic legs to those in need of mobility across Africa? With the help of 12 kind volunteer travellers, that’s how!
Event industry charity Meeting Needs partnered with another charity, Bristol-based ‘Legs4Africa’ on their “Deliver a leg” programme, with a funding package of just £4,125 to give mobility to 150 children and adults in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. That’s just £27.50 per leg – just £27.50 per person to deliver mobility to those needing to travel to school or work.
What began as shipping container deliveries with ‘Legs4Africa’ has evolved into engaging volunteers already flying to Africa to carry the legs.
“Using their baggage allowance, we deliver tailored packages of parts to our partners. Each delivery contains enough parts to empower at least 10 amputees with mobility”, said Director Phil Tunstall.
“Deliver a Leg’ allows us to avoid significant logistical/admin costs and frequent delays when sending large deliveries through African ports. By engaging volunteers and supplying smaller packages we’re able to get reliable confirmation that materials have been delivered, allowing us to monitor usage and manage supply and ensuring the 960 prosthetics we sent in the past year are used effectively and efficiently.
“The used legs are donated from hospitals in the UK. They are sent to local Mens Sheds (our charity partner) and they dismantle them and refurbish the parts. We then send them to hospitals across Africa.”
The prosthetics were delivered to the Presbyterian Community Rehabilitation Services (PCRS) in Kumba, Cameroon; the Tanzania Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists (TATCOT), Tanzania; the Orthopedic Training Centre, Ghana AIC CURE International Hospital, Kenya, and AJMA Orthopaedic Services, Tanzania. In addition 46 stump socks and 13 suspension straps were also delivered.