By Alesha Capone
HELPING HAND: A prosthetic limb manufactured in Werribee will soon help change the life of a young boy in India.
Not-for-profit charity Envision has joined Wyndham Rotary Club in the Envision Hands project, which turns recycled plastic bottle caps into prosthetic arms and hands.
The initiative, a world-first, involves plastic from donated bottle caps being turned into material used to create parts for a custom-made artificial limb via a 3D printer.
Project co-ordinator Joe Ferlazzo – along with Envision volunteers “3D genius” Ross Colquhoun and engineer Jules Perrin – have spent the past month creating a plastic hand-arm soon to be sent on its way to the nine-year-old.
“What I enjoy is the fact of knowing that you’re going to help and make a difference to somebody,” Mr Ferlazzo said.
He said the limb would enable the young boy to play more freely and even swim.
Rotary Club of Wyndham member John Campbell and Sharad Sheth, from the Rotary Club of Jamnagar in the Indian state of Gujarat, are helping to co-ordinate the project.
Envision directors Stephen Murphy and Sean Teer said residents, schools, community groups and businesses had been donating bottle caps to help the project, while Wyndham council and the Coca-Cola Foundation had provided funding.
To get involved, call Mr Teer on 0413 003 795 or email sean@envisionemployment.com.au
