This summer, students from LLU's School of Allied Health Professions- wish to experience mission service and service learning opportunities as they travel to Ethiopia. Students will participate and interact with clinic sites and volunteer their time in clinics and labs to observe, assist and teach the clinicians in fabrication of devices with limited resources and technology.

The Orthotics Prosthetics (OP) portion of the team will be contributing two major technology and OP techniques to three Ethiopian OP organizations Black Lion University (starting a BS/MS OP Education program), Cheshire Institute (a pediatric rehabilitation center helping improving Ethiopian challenged kids physically and socially to be reintegrated into Ethiopian culture where they have been marginalized, and a rehabilitation center for veterans (a place for assisting injured veterans form all sides of the conflict to recover and function in life. This is a particular interest right now as Ethiopia mends relations with Eritrea and others marginalized within the country). 

1. We will be teaching a new Aqua casting technique that simplifies and standardizes the challenging fit of sockets for individuals with amputations. 

2. Bringing an improved 3D printed body powered hand design to patients missing arms. This is of particular importance for the Ethiopian culture sees any disability as a curse from God, so anything that draws attention to a disability brings social rejection. Therefore those missing arms in Ethiopia tend to reject the simple highly functional hook arm prostheses long used on the US. 3D printed hands can be made as simple body powered devices and are being redesigned to be more functional than current 3D printed mechanical hands. They also can be printed in better brown colors. 

The Occupational Department (OT) team will be bringing the whole concept of OT to the country. Currently there are very few OT professionals practicing in country.

You can be a part of this life-changing experience for students by making a donation today!