Local Solutions for Prosthetic Production

The specific problem we are addressing is the lack of access to affordable, high-quality lower-limb prosthetics in selected East and West African communities. This issue stems from the global North/South divide in accessibility to assistive medical technology, leaving millions of people in low and middle-income countries without the essential prosthetic devices they need to lead fulfilling lives.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that only 1 in 10 people who require mobility aids, including prosthetics and orthotics, have access to them. This means that out of the 35-40 million people worldwide in need of prosthetics, only 4 million have access due to poor supply chains and high costs. This disparity in access is particularly pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa, where a lack of trained prosthetists, limited access to the global supply chain market, and an absence of manufacturing infrastructure contribute to high costs and limited availability of prosthetics for those who need them the most.

According to WHO, 0.5% of the population in low and middle-income countries requires the use of prosthetics and orthotics. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of trained prosthetists is alarmingly low, with only 14.9% of the required prosthetists available in Ghana, for example.

In developed countries, prosthetic legs often have a 3-5 year lifespan before being discarded due to manufacturing and insurance regulations. These single-use items end up in landfills, representing a significant waste of resources and further exacerbating the problem of limited access in the Global South.

The costs associated with prosthetics are often unaffordable for individuals in low and middle-income countries. A prosthetic leg can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 in developed countries, putting it well out of reach for most people in East and West African communities. The high costs, combined with limited availability, create insurmountable barriers for many amputees, leaving them with no option but to live without the mobility and independence that prosthetics can provide.

The socio-economic consequences of this issue are profound. The lack of access to prosthetics can severely limit an individual's ability to work, engage in social activities, and lead a fulfilling life. The resulting physical and mental health challenges, combined with the economic impact on families and communities, only serve to exacerbate existing inequalities.

In addition to the individual consequences, the limited access to prosthetics has broader societal implications. The demand for prosthetics is growing due to an increase in non-communicable diseases, aging populations, and injuries resulting from accidents and conflicts. This growing demand places additional strain on already overburdened healthcare systems and creates a cycle of increasing costs and limited access.

In summary, the specific problem we are addressing is the limited access to affordable, high-quality lower-limb prosthetics in selected East and West African communities. This issue affects millions of people in low and middle-income countries, with consequences that reach far beyond the individual level, impacting families, communities, and healthcare systems. The high costs, limited availability, and insufficient infrastructure for prosthetics production and distribution contribute to the perpetuation of this critical problem.

Our solution is the development of an affordable, locally-produced prosthetic leg that meets international standards, aiming to transform access to lower-limb prosthetics in selected East and West African communities.

The core of our solution is a local production model for lower-limb prosthetic components, leveraging the expertise of innovators, academics, and professionals from various fields. By bringing these experts together, we will design a production process that adapts to the unique requirements of the communities we serve. This model will increase the availability of affordable prosthetics, create local employment opportunities, and reduce dependency on foreign charities and imports.

Our solution uses innovative materials, manufacturing techniques, and local resources to produce cost-effective prosthetic legs without compromising quality or functionality. We will collaborate with local manufacturers and suppliers to source materials, reducing costs and increasing sustainability. We will also work with local prosthetists to ensure our prosthetics meet the needs of the target communities.

A key aspect of our solution is to flood the market with affordable, high-quality prosthetic legs to drive prices down and encourage competition among providers. Introducing our locally-produced prosthetic legs at a significantly lower price point will force existing prosthetic manufacturers and suppliers to reconsider their pricing strategies to remain competitive. This market disruption will lead to greater accessibility for those who need prosthetics but are currently priced out of the market.

As the demand for our affordable prosthetics grows, we expect other manufacturers to follow suit by adopting our production model or developing their own cost-effective solutions. This market-driven change will contribute to a more inclusive prosthetic industry, and benefit amputees in developing countries and those in other parts of the world who struggle with the high cost of prosthetics. Additionally, the increased availability of affordable prosthetics will incentivize innovation in the industry, driving advancements in technology and materials and ultimately benefitting all users of prosthetic devices.

Legs4Africa is an organization with an established presence and relationships with various health ministries across Africa. We have the resources to facilitate the fieldwork, with offices and partner organizations in every country included in our proposal. Their experience and network will be invaluable in the successful implementation of our solution.

By partnering with organizations connected to the AT2030 Programme funded by UKaid, we can leverage existing research, resources, and support from academics and institutions already working in the assistive technology industry. These partnerships will enable us to develop a robust local production model based on evidence and best practices.

In summary, our solution is developing and implementing a local production model for affordable, high-quality lower-limb prosthetics in selected East and West African communities. By partnering with prosthetists, engineers, and other professionals in the assistive technology industry, we will create a prosthetic leg that is affordable and meets international standards. This solution will transform access to prosthetics for millions of people and create local employment opportunities, contribute to sustainable development, and reduce dependency on foreign aid.

Our solution is focused on developing an innovative prosthetic production model to serve amputees in developing countries, starting with hospitals in Fort Portal and Kampala, Uganda, the Banjul Mobility Centre in Gambia, and the Orthopaedic Training Centre in Ghana. These locations are home to many amputees who currently face financial barriers and depend on foreign aid or imports to access high-quality prosthetic legs. Our mission is to revolutionize the production of prosthetics, making them more affordable and accessible to those in need.

We're thrilled to bring our local production model to all the communities that Legs4Africa works in and to amputees across Africa. Our research aims to establish a cost-effective, locally-produced prosthetic solution that can be implemented in any community. This approach benefits amputees and empowers local prosthetists who possess the skills but lack the resources to produce prosthetic devices for their communities.

By providing a sustainable and scalable solution for prosthetic production, we're directly and meaningfully impacting the lives of countless individuals:

1. Localized production: Our model fosters the development of local industries, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the growth of the economy.

2. Affordability: By reducing production costs, our solution makes prosthetics more accessible to amputees who may not have previously been able to afford them.

3. Empowerment of local prosthetists: Our model equips local prosthetists with the necessary resources and tools, allowing them to better serve their communities and expand their professional opportunities.

4. Environmental sustainability: Local production reduces the carbon footprint associated with shipping prosthetics from foreign manufacturers, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

5. Research and innovation: Our solution encourages collaboration between researchers, engineers, and prosthetists, driving innovation in the field of assistive technology.

6. Scalability and adaptability: Our local production model can be easily implemented in various communities, offering a sustainable and scalable approach to improving prosthetic access.

Our solution addresses the immediate needs of amputees and prosthetists and promotes a culture of collaboration and innovation among various stakeholders. We can create a multidisciplinary team focused on developing cutting-edge prosthetic technologies by bringing together experts from different fields, such as engineering, materials science, biomechanics, and rehabilitation medicine. This collaborative environment encourages the exchange of ideas and expertise, fostering the development of novel solutions to address the complex challenges faced by amputees.

Moreover, our project emphasizes the importance of incorporating feedback from amputees and prosthetists throughout the development process. By involving end-users and professionals in the design and evaluation stages, we can ensure that our prosthetic production solution is tailored to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve. This user-centred approach is crucial in delivering an effective and impactful solution, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for amputees and empowering prosthetists to provide the best possible care.

In essence, our solution is centred on developing a groundbreaking prosthetic production model that serves a diverse population of amputees across Africa. By establishing a local production system, we aim to significantly impact the lives of individual amputees and the broader community of skilled but resource-constrained prosthetists.

At Legs4Africa, we have a strong track record of working closely with over a dozen hospitals across East and West Africa. We oversee eight different community groups in four countries, running various community projects such as outreach services and holistic rehabilitation. We are committed to training peer support counsellors to become qualified in assessing the needs of their patients and providing scholarships for female amputees to become prosthetists and serve their communities across Africa. Every hospital that has received some of our over 14,000 delivered prosthetic legs also benefits from training, funding, machinery, and infrastructure support.

Our approach is entirely needs-led, and we are dedicated to only undertaking initiatives guided by local experts. We firmly believe in empowering these experts by providing the necessary resources and support for them to make a difference in their communities. The Team Lead is the CEO, Founder and active member of Legs4Africa's manufacturing working group, ensuring a seamless integration of the academic and practical aspects of the project.

Our extensive experience working with hospitals, community groups, and local professionals has given us a profound understanding of the challenges and needs of the communities we serve. We have forged partnerships with other local innovators, recognizing the value of collaboration in driving sustainable solutions for amputees across Africa. By connecting these partners and providing the resources they need, we facilitate developing and implementing impactful solutions guided by those who understand the communities best.

Our close proximity to the communities we serve is a crucial factor in our success. We are not just an organization working remotely; we are deeply embedded in the lives of the people we aim to help. Our team members, many of whom come from the very communities we serve, live and work alongside the amputees, their families, and local prosthetists. This intimate connection allows us to gain first-hand insights into these individuals' unique challenges and needs.

Moreover, our local team members play a crucial role in fostering trust and open communication with the communities. We actively engage them in the development of our solutions, ensuring that their input, ideas, and agendas are meaningfully incorporated. By involving local prosthetists, engineers, and other professionals, we make certain that the solutions we develop are culturally appropriate and tailored to the specific needs of the target population.

In addition to our local presence, we maintain a constant dialogue with the communities through our community groups and peer support counsellors. These groups enable us to stay up-to-date with amputees' and their families' evolving needs and expectations. This continuous feedback loop helps us refine and adapt our solutions to maximize their positive impact.

In summary, our commitment to being needs-led, extensive partnerships, and dedication to empowering local experts demonstrate our team's ability to design and deliver a transformative prosthetic production solution. By leveraging our experiences, connections, and resources, we are confident that our project will have a lasting impact on the lives of amputees and their families across Africa.

We are currently in the Prototype stage of development. Our team has funded the testing of the DC3-foot, a 3D-printed prosthetic foot developed in partnership with the International Refugee Trust. We have allocated £5,000 towards a £12,000 testing budget. The DC3-foot is being tested at TATCOT (a prosthetic and orthotic training college in Tanzania), and we aim to run the pilot for this innovative solution at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda.

In addition to the DC3-foot, we are exploring other innovative solutions, such as a pineapple leaf-based prosthetic socket that has been developed in Ghana. Our focus is on identifying locally sourced and locally manufactured options that can be easily integrated into our production model. The Prototype stage involves testing a range of solutions to determine what works best and is most viable for our target communities.

As we continue to refine and evaluate various prototypes, we are excited to advance our mission of providing affordable, high-quality prosthetic limbs to those in need. Our team remains committed to empowering individuals and communities by creating locally sustainable solutions that make a tangible, lasting impact.

It is difficult to provide an exact number of people our solution currently serves, as our project is still in the Prototype stage and focused on testing various innovations. However, our goal is to eventually reach every amputee in low-resource environments who are in need of affordable, high-quality prosthetic limbs.

As a modest estimate based on verifiable statistics, we could potentially serve thousands of amputees across multiple countries in Africa during the initial pilot stage. As our local production model gains traction and becomes more established, the number of people served will only continue to grow. The scalable nature of our solution means that, in the long run, we have the potential to impact the lives of millions of amputees worldwide, helping them regain their mobility and independence.

Our current operations allow us to deliver around 2,000 prosthetic legs annually. The only limiting factor to reaching more amputees in need is the number of prosthetic legs we can procure and deliver. Our ultimate goal is to put ourselves out of business by enabling local communities to take over the entire supply chain.

By fostering the development of a local production model for prosthetic limbs, we aim to empower local communities to produce and distribute high-quality, affordable prosthetics without reliance on foreign imports or charitable donations. This transition to self-sufficiency will not only help to meet the growing demand for prosthetic limbs but also create local employment opportunities, boost the economy, and improve overall accessibility to essential healthcare services.

We are applying to Solve for several reasons. While financial support is always beneficial, we understand that Solve is much more than just a funding platform. Our primary goal in applying to Solve is to connect with a diverse network of experts, mentors, and partners who can help us overcome various challenges and barriers that we face in our journey to revolutionize prosthetic production and distribution in low-resource environments.

Technical Barriers: Our solution involves developing and implementing locally-produced prosthetic components. We need access to cutting-edge research, technical expertise, and innovative materials to achieve this. By joining the Solve community, we hope to connect with professionals who can offer valuable insights, share experiences, and collaborate on refining our solution, making it more efficient and effective.

Legal Barriers: As we expand our solution across different countries and regions, navigating the legal landscape becomes critical. We expect to encounter various regulations, compliance requirements, and intellectual property concerns. Solve's network can provide access to legal experts who can guide us in developing a robust legal framework, ensuring that our solution complies with local and international laws and policies.

Cultural Barriers: Understanding the unique cultural aspects of the communities we serve is crucial for the successful implementation of our solution. We aim to adapt our prosthetic production model to accommodate our target population's diverse needs and preferences. Solve's global community offers an opportunity to learn from cultural experts, gain valuable insights, and facilitate culturally-sensitive adaptations of our model, ensuring maximum acceptance and impact.

Market Barriers: For our solution to be sustainable and scalable, we need to overcome market barriers such as supply chain limitations, competition, and affordability. Solve can connect us with industry professionals and potential partners who can help us identify and address these market challenges, allowing us to streamline our operations, develop efficient distribution channels, and optimize our pricing strategy.

In addition to overcoming these barriers, we are eager to contribute our expertise and knowledge to the Solve community. We believe in the power of collaboration and learning from one another's experiences. By participating in Solve, we hope to advance our solution and contribute to the broader ecosystem of social impact, supporting other Solver teams and partners in their endeavours to create a better world.

In summary, applying to Solve aligns with our vision of fostering a collaborative environment to address the complex challenges surrounding prosthetic production and distribution in low-resource settings. We are excited about Solve's potential opportunities, and we believe that our partnership with Solve will significantly advance our mission and impact.

Our solution is innovative in several ways. Firstly, we aim to develop a local production model for prosthetic components that will reduce the cost of prosthetic legs by over 90%. Our approach involves partnering with prosthetists, engineers, and others in the assistive technology industry to create affordable, locally produced prosthetic components that meet international standards. By bringing together different innovators and academics in this field, we can leverage existing technologies and develop new innovations that will radically transform the prosthetic industry in developing countries.

Secondly, our approach is needs-led, guided by the input and ideas of local experts and community members. We work closely with hospitals, amputee communities, and prosthetic clinics in East and West Africa to identify the specific needs and challenges faced by amputees. By listening and responding to their needs, we can develop a solution that is tailored to their unique circumstances and is most effective in improving their quality of life.

Thirdly, our solution is scalable and has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in this space. By reducing the cost of prosthetic legs and increasing local production, we can create a more sustainable and self-sufficient prosthetic industry in developing countries. This will reduce dependency on foreign charities and imports while creating local employment opportunities and fostering innovation in the assistive technology industry. By demonstrating the viability and effectiveness of this model, we hope to inspire others in this space to adopt a similar approach and work towards improving access to prosthetic technology in developing countries.

Fourthly, our solution has the potential to change the market by disrupting the traditional supply chain of prosthetic legs. Currently, prosthetic legs are predominantly imported from developed countries, which makes them unaffordable for many in developing countries. By developing a local production model, we can flood the market with affordable prosthetic legs and drive down prices. This will not only increase access to prosthetic legs for those who need them but also create a competitive market for prosthetic components in developing countries. This competition will drive innovation and improve the quality of prosthetic components, which will further benefit amputees in developing countries.

In conclusion, our solution is innovative in several ways, including the development of a local production model, a needs-led approach, scalability, and potential to catalyze broader positive impacts and disrupt the market. We believe that by working together with local communities, innovators, and academics, we can make a significant difference in the lives of amputees in developing countries, and create a more sustainable and self-sufficient prosthetic industry.

Our impact goals for the next two years are focused on exploring different technologies and materials for developing locally produced lower limb prosthetics. Our aim is to have a complete lower limb prosthesis solution that meets international standards and is affordable for those in low-resource environments. During this time, we will also continue to work with our partner hospitals and community groups to provide access to our current solutions.

To achieve this, we plan to collaborate with experts in the fields of engineering, prosthetics, and materials science to develop a comprehensive range of locally sourced and produced prosthetic components. We will also explore innovative materials, such as pineapple leaf fibres, and work on refining the 3D printing processes to optimize production efficiency and reduce costs.

In addition to technological advancements, we will also focus on building local partnerships to ensure sustainable supply chains for the production of prosthetic components. This includes engaging with local prosthetic technicians, prosthetic training colleges, and community groups to build capacity and knowledge transfer in the production and fitting of prosthetics. This will create employment opportunities and ensure that prosthetics can be produced and fitted locally, reducing the dependency on foreign imports and charities.

In the next five years, our impact goals are to establish sustainable and locally produced lower limb prosthetics in at least three African countries. This will involve setting up local production facilities, training and supporting local prosthetic technicians and building local partnerships with hospitals and community groups to provide access to our solutions.

To achieve this, we will continue to work closely with local communities to ensure that our solutions are needs-led and culturally appropriate. We will also engage with governments and other stakeholders to create policy change and increase access to assistive technology in low-resource settings.

Our ultimate goal is to provide access to affordable, high-quality, locally produced prosthetic solutions for amputees across Africa. We believe that by developing a sustainable and locally sourced supply chain, we can transform the prosthetics industry and create positive social and economic impacts in the communities we serve.

As a data-driven organization, we recognize the importance of monitoring and measuring our progress towards achieving our impact goals. We have identified several key indicators to track and measure our progress over time.

Firstly, we measure the efficacy of our solution by tracking the number of amputees who have access to prosthetic legs through our solution. We also monitor the performance and durability of our prosthetic components and collect feedback from prosthetists and amputees on the usability and effectiveness of our solution. We plan to conduct follow-up assessments to evaluate the long-term impact of our solution on the quality of life and mobility of amputees.

Secondly, we track the economic viability of our solution by monitoring the cost of production, including the cost of materials, labour, and infrastructure, and comparing it to the cost of importing prosthetic components. We aim to develop a sustainable and cost-effective local production model that can scale and meet the demand for prosthetic legs in low-resource settings.

Thirdly, we prioritize equitable partnerships in all our work, working closely with local communities, prosthetists, and engineers to co-create solutions tailored to each community's specific needs. We measure our partnerships' inclusivity by tracking our team's diversity, the number of local partners engaged in the project, and the extent to which local partners are involved in the decision-making process.

We also aim to align with international standards in the prosthetics and orthotics field, including the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) standards on equality, the AT2030 (Assistive Technology 2030) program's standards on accessible local production, and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We use these standards to guide our work and ensure that we advance the prosthetics and orthotics field while contributing to the broader global agenda of sustainable development.

To track our progress towards achieving our impact goals, we use a range of tools and methods, including surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and impact assessments. We also collect data on production costs, component quality, and user feedback to continuously improve our solution.

In summary, we measure our progress towards our impact goals through a combination of indicators, including efficacy, economic viability, equitable partnerships, and alignment with international standards. By tracking these indicators, we aim to continuously improve our solution and maximize our impact in the communities we serve.

Our theory of change is based on three main pillars: accessibility, affordability, and sustainability. We believe that by addressing these three key areas, we can create a solution that will have a meaningful and sustainable impact on the problem we are trying to solve.

Firstly, by increasing the accessibility of prosthetic limbs, we can ensure that more amputees in low-resource areas have access to the prosthetic limbs they need. This will involve creating a local production model that can be easily replicated and scaled across different communities. We can reduce dependence on foreign charities and imports by producing prosthetic limbs locally and creating local employment opportunities. Additionally, by partnering with local healthcare providers, we can ensure that prosthetic limbs are reaching the people who need them the most.

Secondly, by making prosthetic limbs more affordable, we can help reduce the financial burden amputees and their families face. By developing a cost-effective local production model, we can significantly reduce the cost of a prosthetic limb while maintaining international quality standards. This will involve collaborating with local innovators and engineers to develop locally sourced and manufactured materials that can be used to create high-quality prosthetic limbs.

Lastly, by creating a sustainable solution, we can ensure that our impact is long-lasting and continues to benefit communities for years to come. This will involve creating a financially self-sustaining model and empowering local communities to take ownership of the production process. Additionally, by partnering with local healthcare providers and organizations, we can help build capacity and develop skills within the community, creating a sustainable ecosystem for the local production and distribution of prosthetic limbs.

Our theory of change is grounded in research, evidence-based practices, and extensive engagement with the target population. We are committed to ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that our solution is meeting the needs of the communities we serve and to continuously improve our approach. By addressing the accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of prosthetic limbs, we believe that we can create a solution that will have a significant and sustainable impact the problem we are trying to solve.

Our core technology is the application of science and evidence-based knowledge to the practical aims of human life. At Legs4Africa, we are committed to exploring a range of technologies to develop a local production model for lower limb components. While we are currently testing 3D-printed solutions, we are also looking at a variety of other technologies and indigenous solutions that have been proven effective in improving the lives of amputees.

Our approach is driven by our theory of change that envisions a future where amputees in low-resource settings have access to affordable and locally produced prosthetic legs. To achieve this vision, we are exploring all possible avenues of technology to create a sustainable and scalable model for local prosthetic production.

Currently, our focus is on testing and developing 3D-printed prosthetic leg components. We believe that this technology can significantly reduce costs and improve access to prosthetic legs for those in need. However, we recognize that no single technology can solve this problem alone. We are open to exploring other technologies and indigenous solutions that may be more effective in different contexts.

We are committed to rigorously measuring our progress towards our impact goals using a range of indicators such as efficacy, economy, and equitable partnerships. We also align with international society prosthetics orthotics standards on equality and AT2030 standards on accessible local production. With our collaborative and inclusive approach, we believe we can create a more equitable future where everyone has access to the tools and technologies needed to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

At Legs4Africa, we are dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in all aspects of our work. Our leadership team consists of individuals from diverse backgrounds, and we continually strive to increase our team's diversity through our recruitment processes. We believe that it is vital for our team and partnerships to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, and we are actively working towards achieving this goal.

Our approach to equity involves prioritizing partnerships with local organizations and ensuring that our solutions are accessible to all members of the community, regardless of their socioeconomic status. We recognize that barriers exist that may prevent individuals with disabilities or those from marginalized communities from accessing our services, and we are committed to eliminating these barriers.

We understand the importance of inclusion in our work and strive to create a welcoming, respectful, and supportive environment for all members of our team and the communities we serve. We value the input and participation of all stakeholders and seek to incorporate their perspectives and feedback in all aspects of our work.

At Legs4Africa, we recognize that creating a more equitable and just world requires ongoing education and training. We prioritize continuous learning and training for our team members to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our work. This includes partnering with external organizations and staying up-to-date on best practices for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusivity.

We are committed to listening to and learning from our partners and communities. Our solutions are needs-led, and we strive to take into account the diverse needs and perspectives of those we serve. We believe that creating an environment where all individuals and communities feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued is essential.

Our journey towards creating an inclusive environment is an ongoing process; we acknowledge that we have more work to do. We are committed to continuously improving our policies and practices to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity. We value feedback and critiques from partners with diverse backgrounds and are always open to learning and growing.

In summary, at Legs4Africa, diversity, equity, and inclusivity are at the forefront of our work. We are committed to creating a more equitable and just world where all individuals have access to the resources and opportunities necessary to thrive.

As a non-profit NGO, Legs4Africa's business model is centred around providing value to the populations we serve, both in terms of impact and revenue. Our primary goal is to improve the quality of life of amputees in low-resource environments by providing them with access to high-quality prosthetic legs. To achieve this, we rely on funding from donors and institutional grants. Our current turnover is over £600k, which is used to fund our operations and expand our reach to more communities in need.

We provide a range of products and services to our beneficiaries, including delivering pre-owned prosthetic legs from the UK to low-resource environments in Africa and developing locally-sourced and locally-manufactured prosthetics. Our approach to providing prosthetic legs is needs-led and community-driven, which means that we work closely with local partners to identify the most appropriate solutions for each community.

Our local production model is an important aspect of our business model. Our aim is not to make a profit from the production of prosthetic legs but to create sustainable and equitable employment opportunities in the communities we serve. After setting up a local production facility, we act as strategic partners to ensure the operation's continued success. The prosthetics produced by the facility are then sold at a subsidised rate within the community, providing affordable access to life-changing technology.

We believe that this business model can potentially create a significant positive impact on the lives of amputees in low-resource environments. By partnering with local communities and leveraging locally-sourced materials, we can provide affordable and high-quality prosthetic legs to those who most need them. Additionally, our local production model can help create sustainable employment opportunities, which can positively impact the economic development of the communities we serve.

In summary, our business model is centred around providing affordable and high-quality prosthetic legs to amputees in low-resource environments. We rely on funding from donors and institutional grants, and our local production model is designed to create sustainable and equitable employment opportunities in the communities we serve. We believe that this model can have a significant positive impact on the lives of amputees and the economic development of the communities we work in.

As a non-profit NGO, Legs4Africa is not focused on generating profits or becoming financially sustainable in the traditional sense. Instead, our goal is to continue providing high-quality prosthetic solutions to amputees in Africa while also supporting local communities and economies through sustainable local production models.

We rely on funding from donors and institutional grants to support our work. In recent years, our turnover has been over £600k, and we aim to continue securing funding to sustain our current projects and expand our reach across the continent.

Our sustainable local production models are not intended to generate profits for Legs4Africa but to create employment opportunities and keep prices low for local amputees. By setting up and supporting these local production facilities, we aim to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that benefits local communities and economies in the long term.

In addition to funding from donors and institutional grants, we are exploring other potential revenue streams to support our work. For example, we are exploring partnerships with African governments and healthcare systems to provide prosthetic solutions and related services to a larger population.

Another potential revenue stream is selling prosthetic solutions and related products to individuals and organizations outside of Africa who is interested in supporting our work. By offering high-quality prosthetic solutions that are both affordable and sustainably produced, we believe we can attract customers who are passionate about our mission and want to make a difference in the lives of amputees in Africa.

However, it is important to note that our primary focus is on providing access to prosthetic solutions for amputees in Africa. Any potential revenue streams will be secondary to this core mission and will be used to support and expand our programs and services.

Ultimately, we believe that our commitment to sustainable local production models and providing high-quality prosthetic solutions to amputees in Africa will attract the funding and support necessary to sustain our work. By staying true to our core values and mission, we are confident that we can continue positively impacting the lives of amputees in Africa for many years to come.

At Legs4Africa, we have successfully secured funding from various sources, enabling us to continue our work in low-resource settings. The majority of our funding comes from grant-making trusts and foundations across the UK and Europe. Most of our grants are between £5,000 and £10,000 and have been instrumental in supporting our programs.

One of our key donors is an anonymous long-term donor who provides us with over £400,000 a year and is committed for the next five years. This funding has allowed us to invest in research and development of new technologies and innovations and continue our work in providing prosthetic legs to those who need them most.

We have also received governmental grants, such as from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), of around £25,000 for an outreach service in Gambia and Ghana. These funds have been critical in expanding our reach and providing much-needed services to those in need.

In addition to grants, we have recently opened an office in the US to open doors to American funding opportunities. This has already proven successful in securing new partnerships and funding streams for our work.

As we continue exploring local production models, we seek investment from manufacturers and engineering companies interested in investing in our project. This will allow us to build local capacity and support the development of sustainable production models that can benefit the communities we serve.

Overall, our approach to financial sustainability is multifaceted, relying on a combination of grants, donations, and investments. By diversifying our funding sources, we are better positioned to weather economic uncertainties and continue our work in bringing affordable and accessible prosthetic legs to those who need them most.