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