How can we aid people with mobility problems in Africa? · Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA How...
Transcript of How can we aid people with mobility problems in Africa? · Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA How...
Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
How can we aid people with mobility problems in Africa?
Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
Safe but affordable mobility devices are needed.
Birth defects, accidental maimings, landmines, crocodile injuries, various parasites,polio.
These are all afflictions that could ruin a person’s mobility and effectively halt their life, especially in third world countries.
Charities and organizations are trying to help, but transporting used crutches is expensive and cheaply produced crutches are unsafe for users.
Resource of the images: http://www.crutches4africa.org/
Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
How can we use local material to solve the problem?
1. Rattan and bamboo have large distribution and have long been used as raw material for various crafts and furniture in Indonesia, China, South Korea, Europe, West Africa, etc.
2. These materials are natural, sustainable, easy to produce, low cost, light and strong, and durable.
3. Discarded bicycle inner tubes (abundant in impovershed areas) are hard to recycle but elastic and anti-slip.
Bamboo, rattan & bike inner- tubes are ideal material.
Countries that produce bamboo
Countries that produce rattan
Bamboo Rattan
+ + =
Used bike inner tubes
Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
How can we produce it?
With the right tools everybody can produce the crutch.The process for making the Bamboo & Rattan crutch is quick and simple. Steam, bend, assemble — finished in one day.
Soak Rattan overnight
Steam Rattan for 4 hours
Mould base form Bend Rattan along the mould
Let it dry out
Put on the inner tube as cap Secure rattan stalks with inner tubes
Put rattan in bamboo tube
Put the handle on
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Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
Put rattan parts inside bamboo
Flip up inner tube
Pull up rattan parts a little bit
Push inner tube back down, this part works as a break to hold the rattan in position
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Bamboo & Rattan Crutch FOR AFRICA
Local, green material
Affordable to produce
Easy to assemble
Organic form
Light weight
Adjustable height