Scots volunteers head for Malawi to transform lives

You could say 500 miles was just a start. Today a team from Glasgow begins a journey that will take it all the way to Malawi in southern Africa � where it should help transform the lives of amputees.

You could say 500 miles was just a start.

Today a team from Glasgow begins a journey that will take it all the way to Malawi in southern Africa - where it should help transform the lives of amputees.

It is partly down to a small Scottish charity, 500 Miles, which is teaming up with a group of volunteers to set up a clinic and workshop providing artificial limbs in what is one of the world's poorest countries.

The charity was founded last year by Olivia Giles and Jamie Andrew. Ms Giles, a former Scotswoman of the Year and current Woman of Influence award-winner, had part of her own arms and legs amputated after contracting meningococcal septicaemia when she was working as a lawyer six years ago.

Severe frostbite led to Mr Andrew losing his hands and feet following a climbing incident.

The charity works to support amputees and help provide prosthetics.

Ms Giles said: "We originally set up the charity to divert funds we raised to projects. But we quickly realised people have to get their hands dirty and get involved to make a difference.

"I went to Malawi earlier this year because of the links with Scotland, to see what was needed. There is a dire need, mainly due to poverty. The main causes of amputations are road accidents and infection, which is not well managed, particularly in rural areas.

"In countries like Malawi the stigma of disability is much worse than here. It is easier to become an outcast, and whole families can suffer as a result.

"The one workshop has only five professional staff for the whole country. It is underfunded and there are issues with management. 500 Miles hopes to fund the training of a prosthetist and a manager over the next five years and meet the annual running costs.

"We have applied to the Scotland Malawi Fund for support and are awaiting a decision."

Ms Giles, 42, is heading out next week from her home in Edinburgh to begin negotiations with the Malawian health ministry over the management and staffing of the clinic, and will be there to see the final stage of the building work.

The 15-strong team leaving today consists of three joiners, an electrician, metalworker, painter, plumber and surveyor and four IT staff under the guidance of team leader Brian Kelly and international officer Gillian Walsh. As well as helping to build the prosthetics clinic, they will be installing IT equipment at a school for Aids orphans and providing computer training for teachers.

The project came about after Ms Giles was looking for help in shipping 300 pairs of shoes to Malawi when she told Mr Kelly about her idea for the prosthetics clinic.

Mr Kelly, 63, retired as director of Glasgow City Council's environmental protection services five years ago and began a deeper involvement with charity projects.

He said: "I met Olivia at the volunteer centre, where we store equipment for shipping.She said she had been wanting to do this for some time.

"It won't be a grand building, but it will be functional. Last year the team built an HIV clinic and we are all excited about going back to do more."

The building project has been funded and the equipment secured by the Glasgow Lord Provost's Malawi Fund. It is hoped the International Committee of the Red Cross will help with plastics for the prosthetics and orthotics.

Glasgow's Lord Provost, Bob Winter, said: "We are thrilled that Olivia has become so actively involved in the work we are doing in Malawi. She is a true inspiration to all of us.

"The work we are embarking on will be life-changing for people living in this developing country. I am confident that our partnership with Olivia will strengthen and deepen our links with Malawi and significantly improve opportunities for the population, who so desperately need our help."

All the materials and equipment have been shipped out in advance in containers. The team will then use the containers, and transform them into a building for the clinic over the next two weeks in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Malawi, a country of 12 million, currently only has one workshop producing artificial limbs, in the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. It is the largest city in Malawi and is named after the town in South Lanarkshire.

However, even with substantial subsidy, the service does not provide free prosthetic limbs and is not able to cope with the demand, particularly from those living outside Blantyre.