| |
Zonta Club of the Adelaide Hills
Lids for Limbs
Some of our newer members may have wondered why some of our club members have been seen bringing fused ring-tabs to meetings.
One of our past members brought to our attention the “Lids for Limbs “ project. This project is Australia wide and was originally brought to Australia by a Rotary club in Western Australia. It is also referred to as “Lids for Legs” in some literature.
The “Lids for Limbs” project supports the work of Thailand’s Dr. Thedchai Jivicate who has developed a process of making artificial limbs entirely from recycled material. The limbs are provided free to the people of Thailand living in impoverished, rural areas who have been the victims of landmines left over from wars in Cambodia and Burma. These wars have left thousands of innocent victims, particularly children, maimed for life.
The material being used by Dr. Jivicate to make the artificial limbs is recycled ring tabs from aluminium cans. The rings contain titanium, silicone and copper. Just half a kilogram of ring tabs will produce a limb for a child. The cost of a limb is ten times the weekly wage of a rural worker, so to defray the cost Dr. Jivicate has turned to the concept of recycling ring tabs.
Dr. Jivicate works for the Prosthesis Foundation at Chaingmai University’s Faculty of Medicine. He is head of the Mobile Artificial Legs Production Unit. He has been making artificial limbs since 1966 and travels throughout Thailand providing free services to rural villages.
All ring-tabs are useful in the project. Your rings from baked beans, fruit, tomatoes, etc. Beer cans, soft drink cans, pet food – anything with a ring pull tab.
The ring-tabs can be easily removed from the lid by holding the lid with a cloth and twisting it, being careful not to cut yourself. There will be a container at the dinner meetings for you to leave your ring-tabs, or give them to Anne Fuller.
You can involve your family and friends in the project, and appreciation certificates will be given to those family members who have contributed a number of ring-tabs at the end of the year.
|
|
|
