How will this project make a difference?
It is estimated that more than 2000 used prosthetic limbs are disposed of each year in the UK alone. Put simply: Legs 4 Africa wants to channel these redundant limbs to people that need them across Africa. To start with, we want to focus on The Gambia because of the connections that we have already developed and the work we have already begun. We will then expand our efforts to other African nations once we have established the infrastructure to support our activities.
So what’s your generosity going to fund?
Firstly, this page is going to fund the transport of 200 limbs to the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in The Gambia. This will involve 2 reasonably healthy volunteers (Chris Mawby and Jamie Hovis) driving a van 3,708 miles full of limbs from Leicestershire to The Gambia (approximately £3000).
Secondly, it will cover the expenses of creating a short film/documentary to effectively get the L4A (Legs 4 Africa) message to a larger audience. The film will follow the journey from the UK to their new owners in the Gambia with a special enthuses on capturing the impact that a new limb delivers to an amputee and their careers (approximately £2500).
Any leftover funds will be donated to the department of Social Welfare at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital in The Gambia, where the limbs are received, customised and paired with their new owners.
Leg it to Africa
These are really exciting times for Legs 4 Africa; we are seeing the culmination of so many people's hard work as we have now reached a brand new milestone in needing a press release.
This short film will be part of a press release to appeal nationally to members of the public in helping us tell a magnificent story and literally, to get amputees back on their feet. We hope that people and organisations can donate time, ideas, prosthetic limbs or simply money, but we need to first make them aware of what we are doing. The way we would like to achieve this is through a creative and captivating short film that can be shared, 'Liked', 'Tweeted and possibly submitted to short film awards!
This story will follow over 200 prosthetic legs which we currently have in storage in the UK. As a short film it will capture them at their source, track their journey and record those magical moments when an amputee is matched with a much needed limb and their quality of life is thereby transformed.
An emphasis will be made on The Gambian nationals which will be receiving these prosthetic limbs, it will highlight the hardships for an amputee and fellow carers and it will also illustrate the significance of the change that an otherwise redundant object would make.
How can I get involved?
As Legs 4 Africa grows so will the need for even more support from willing volunteers. That being said, this short film will get the ball rolling and serve as a fundamental component in getting the Legs 4 Africa message out there. To help at this stage, please consider making a donation towards the production for this project and/or you could share this page on your Facebook or Twitter for the world to see.
Thank you.
Tom Williams
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BREAKING NEWS
James Ramage asks Boris Johnson to get his legs out for 'Legs 4 Africa' through his LegNomination.
Who will you nominate?
Here's one from the Crowdfunder Team