Prosthetics Workshop
Prabhat Alloi initiated a prosthetics project in 2012. The aims were to provide a much needed medical service, to develop a business that would help to fund other projects, and to provide local employment. For some years it was very successful, but it struggled to cover its costs, as many people needed the products but were not able to buy them. Rather than supporting our charity work, as intended, it became a community charity in itself and eventually we had to close the doors.
The Warrandyte community was very supportive in kick-starting this project by holding fundraising dinner/auctions. Additional funding through private sponsorship and Lions Club of Warrandyte enabled the purchase of industrial machinery and a building extension for housing the sewing of cloth supports.
The workshop manufactured prosthetic limbs and aids, which were retailed through the Prabhat Alloi Foundation shop in Purulia. Products were provided for free to people who could not afford to pay. Three people were employed in the workshop for casting, firing, cutting and assembling the prosthetics. This project also employed a dozen men and women in the villages for preliminary hand stitching of bandages and braces, with an additional three women on the workshop’s industrial sewing machines for finishing and producing seasonal items like large rice bags to supplement the income through the workshop.
Hopefully this project can be started up again with additional funding to support promotion in a broad area to attract a market and become a profitable enterprise.
