In many developing countries there are tens of thousands of people who suffer as a result of amputated or deformed limbs.
The causes include birth defects, communicable diseases such as leprosy and polio, non-communicable diseases such as vascular disorders and diabetes, snakebites, traumatic injuries as a result of accidents, natural disasters and armed conflicts.
With severe limitations of what they are able to do, people disabled in this way become a burden to families who already have meagre resources and are often condemned to spending their lives begging on the streets.
Over the years the Jaipur Limb Trust has set up many ‘Limb Camps’, with three separate camps being set up in Kerala in India in December 2014. Earlier last year we held a Mega Camp in Banglalore, with over 2,000 people attending, and there is a possibility for outreach Camps in Sri Lanka, part funded by The Rotary Foundation with a Global Grant.
A total of 19 permanent centres have been established across Africa including camps in Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia. There are also centres in Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and further centres in India, and more recently we set up projects in Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Zimbabwe and a major centre in Pignon in Haiti.
The latter is a permanent centre within an existing Orthopaedic Unit including materials for up to two years work and technician training, which will cost £25,000.
One significant project was a fully funded £16,000 modern facility in Uganda. This facility included a fully functioning solar electricity supply and water harvesting tanks, with a self-contained physiotherapy accommodation unit, which is a state of the art facility.
Some larger projects in progress are workshops in Burundi, The Congo, Ghana and in South Sudan, depending on whether or not the current situation in that country will allow work to continue.
There are, of course, other parts of this turbulent world where poor people’s lives are torn apart by local conflicts or disease. The Jaipur Limb Trust is receiving more contact from a number of countries, however, it is not possible to extend the workload of Trustees and Project Managers, all of whom are Rotarians from the UK and Ireland.
We are therefore in discussions with an E Club based in the Caribbean, which has members all over the world, to franchise our knowledge and explore ways of working and raising funds to undertake a project.
Our work offers even more hope with the ‘LN-4 Give Hope – Give a Hand’ project. The fitments were made during a supported project in Bangalore, which proved highly successful and wearers were able to grip a cup, work a hoe or tool and ride a bicycle. Some wearers have even been able to return to work, and this is a truly remarkable success at a cost of only £30.
Brewing Success
Jaipur Pale Ale is an award winning beer brewed by the Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell Derbyshire and they are celebrating their tenth year of brewing by promoting this fine pale ale in Sheffield. Every bottle bought brings a donation to the Trust, so if you are a beer drinker and live in the area look out for Jaipur Pale Ale on the shelves and purchase a bottle so that the Trust can benefit from the sale.
Moving Forward
At the Jaipur Limb Trust we will be continuing and extending our work as funds and manpower allows us. We have brought hope and changed many thousands of lives over the years and our actions are making a difference. That alone encourages us to do even more than we are at present.
