Funeral Service Times August 2017 November 2018 | Page 25
LEGS4AFRICA 25
Banjul. There, he met with Gambian’s only
prosthetist Gabu Jarjue who customised
the leg for Paul’s use. During this encounter,
Jarjue explained to Williams that although
the hospital had the capacity to get over 30
amputees walking each month, the medical
team did not have the components to build
prosthetic legs with. Following this, Williams
personally delivered the leg to Paul and from
that moment, the beginnings of the charity
was established.
Although many healthcare centres,
crematoriums, mortuaries and funeral
homes do have recycling procedures in
place to ensure such equipment gets put
to good use, others may not be aware of
all of the disposal or recycling methods
available, leaving them with no other choice
but to discard them. “Most prosthetic legs
are disposed of because the user is not
aware that they can be recycled,” Williams
claims. According to statistics, 5,000 legs
are thrown away every year in the UK,
but Legs4Africa only sees about 1,000 per
year come in with the intention of being
used for someone in a poorer country.
“[This] means we've still got our work cut
out,” he says. In spite of the large number
of prosthetic limbs being thrown away or
recycled for alternative use each year, in the
four years the charity has been in operation
Legs4Africa says it has managed to ship
enough components to build 4,500 legs.
While inception of the charity began in
Africa, Williams insists that the organisation
www.funeralservicetimes.co.uk
which also recycles prosthetic arms is
more than open to helping others outside
of the continent who are also in need or in
response to “emergency appeals”.
Aside from the obvious benefit of
regaining dexterity and ability through
the use of the limbs, there is a confidence
that comes with someone gaining the
independence and capacity to be able to do
things without limitations. “Beneficiaries are
able to take more control of their lives, get
back into school or work and fully provide
for themselves.” In the charity’s introduction
video on its website, the benefits of the
limbs are further explained as prosthetist
Jarjue credits the limbs with preventing
“depression, loneliness and helplessness”
and even claims it led to some patients being
able to find work, lifelong companionship
and get married. Williams adds: “Life in
Africa can be very difficult, especially if you
are an amputee and have no access to a
fitted prosthetic leg. Social stigma means
that people with disabilities are thought less
of and are often considered a burden to their
families.”
Approximately 30 percent of the limbs
obtained by Legs4Africa come from the
funeral trade, which is why Williams feels it
is important to raise awareness of what can
be done with the components which may
otherwise be considered waste material.
Funeral directors can partner with the charity
and place posters in their funeral homes to
let clients know that the option is available
to help “change lives in Africa”. Currently, the
charity accepts limbs via post at a cost of £5
per leg.
For the trade, Legs4Africa serves a
bigger purpose than offering a resourceful
way for funeral homes to get rid of excess
components, as it also gives the sector a
chance to strengthen its existing relationship
with charity work. Williams insists that those
involved in the programme will get pleasure
from “knowing that the components from
any prosthetic legs sent to us are going to
make a huge difference to someone's life.”
He continues: “Components that we provide
to hospitals are prioritised to the most
vulnerable which is usually women and
children.”
Helping those in need has been gratifying
for Williams and his team, which includes
charity manager Phil Tunstall and fundraiser
Evie Dickinson. He says: “My personal
involvement with the charity has been very
rewarding, having seen how many people's
lives are turned around simply by being
resourceful and recycling prosthetic legs that
are generously sent our way.” Furthermore,
the charity’s future mission is to work on a
“comprehensive rehabilitation plan” which
can eventually be rolled out to any hospital
in Africa that works with the Legs4Africa
organisation. “This would include physical
and emotional support but ultimately we
recognise that by keeping things simple and
focused we are able to make a bigger impact
than if we spread ourselves to thinly.”
NOVEMBER 2018