News
Exceed Project Prosthetics & Orthotics Graduation
One billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience life with a disability. Unfortunately, disability prevalence is much higher for developing countries.
There is an overwhelming and growing number of people with disabilities in the world. According to the World Report on Disability (WHO, 2011), between 110 million and 190 million adults across the globe experience significant difficulties in functioning. People with physical disabilities often require access to Prosthetic and Orthotic services to aid their mobility and enable them to be active in society. Sadly, only 1 in 10 people in the world can access these essential services and so, often, they remain excluded from basic inclusion in society.
In many developing countries, because of lack of resources and without robust health systems, people with disabilities are even more likely to be denied basic health services and so left untreated and neglected, their disabilities worsen.
The SBC Foundation Centre partners, Exceed, specialise in Prosthetics and Orthotics skills training. In February 2020, seven students from countries across the globe, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines and Lao PDR, joined the Prosthetic and Orthotic Technicians Training Programme, provided by Exceed and funded by The SBC Foundation.
Mr. Carson Harte, CEO of Exceed said “Prosthetic and Orthotic training is an essential next stage of the evolution of our profession. It was called for by WHO and ISPO as far back as 1990; with the goal of adding more technicians and clinicians, to increase the output for each clinic. Increasing our training scope will greatly improve efficiency and will help us to meet the increasing global demand for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Today, the WHO estimates 85% of people living in low-income countries cannot access support. We need this statistic to improve. This initiative is a huge step in the right direction and we are proud to be a part of it.”
The students received 15 months of intense online and practical training with Exceed Worldwide, supported by local mentors. After much hard work, on the 30th April 2021, students, teachers and staff celebrated completing the course with a very special graduation! Due to the pandemic, five student graduated on the 30th April 2021, while four more students will complete their final course once they are able to travel to complete their final practice at the University.
“All of us at The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation are extremely proud of each of the students. We want to take this opportunity to thank the teachers and of course the Exceed organization who made all of this happen. I first met Exceed in Cambodia many years ago, in 1991, when I was out there with the first demining team. Exceed continue to hold the most impressive reputation around the world and are committed to providing excellent Prosthetic and Orthotic training, with the ongoing goal of making a difference in the world. Graduates, you should be very proud of what you have achieved and where you have came from. Mr. Lou McGrath, CEO of the SBC Foundation.
Lou added:
“Your work in the future will be crucial not only to those suffering with lost limbs in Cambodia; but around the world. We hope that you will each go out and use the skills that you have learnt and make a difference to many lives along the way. The Exceed project has been a pleasure for us to be involved with, and we wish everyone the best of luck in what are certainly, very bright futures.”