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Our great nation, India, has a whooping population of almost 140 crores and of this 2.68 crores (2.23% of Indian population) are reported to have one or the other kind of disabilities. Out of many classified physical disabilities, the orthopedically challenged are persons having a physical defect or deformity which causes an undue hindrance in the normal functioning of the bones, muscles and joints besides the persons who do not have one or both arms or legs.
Our Rotary District 3080, during the Rotary Year 2021-22, realized the importance of assisting and helping physically handicapped persons in their rehabilitation and for bringing them back in the main stream by providing them high quality artificial limbs so as to make them self-dependent and to enable them to earn their livelihood with dignity. Consequently, Project Sahyog was launched during RY 2021-22. Rotarians of District 3080 are participating whole heartedly in this project for identifying needy disabled persons for fitment of artificial limbs and assistive devices.
Rotary News October 2022 Providing artificial limbs to disabled persons and disability empowerment is one of the prime on-going projects of Rotary Club Chandigarh Midtown.
Beneficiaries included Auto rickshaw Driver, Security Guard, House Maids, Vendors, etc and amputation of their limbs had made them unemployable. These patients were affixed with high quality prosthetic limbs, and are now they are able to earn their livelihood. Thereafter, the feedback and physical inspection demonstrated that they had restarted their work and had been rehabilitated because of this gesture of Rotarians and Rotary Clubs. It is worthwhile to report that as many as 55 clubs out of total of 106 Clubs of District 3080 participated in this project.
Till date, over 200 beneficiaries have been rehabilitated at an average cost of about INR 29000/- per patient. Around 125 males and about 75 females including some children were provided with artificial limbs at total cost of INR 5,800,000/- (approx. US$70,000) which have been raised by Rotarians of D3080 from their own resources. Project has been widely acclaimed in public and print media.
The working of the project is being executed under professional technical support of a senior prosthetic consultant and team of prosthetic clinicians. The Project is constantly backed and encouraged by District Governor Rtn. VP Kalta and District Governor Elect Rtn. Arun Mongia. As already mentioned above India has large number of disabled persons who are self-respecting people but having limited means for their rehabilitation and fitment of artificial limbs. Rotary can restore and empower them by providing artificial limbs and assistive devices. Our club still has more than 200 patients in the waiting list needing rehabilitation and fitment of artificial limbs which requires approx. US$ 72,000 hence the GG project has been conceived.
The primary focus is to rehabilitate disabled persons with artificial limbs and assistive devices and skill these beneficiaries to make them employable or Self-Employed so that they earn livelihood for them and their families, to lead their life with dignity and pride.
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