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This is part II of the LN4 project which first began in 2007.

Team Indian family

In October 2010, a team of eight Redding Rotarians and spouses travelled half way around the world to Ahmedabad, India for one purpose: to make some other people's lives better. Our team was graciously hosted by the members of Rotary Club of Ahmedabad North, District 3050. In one week's time our team fitted 150 prosthetic hand devices to the local people in the cities of Ahmedabad, Sayla and Bhju.

Article by Michael Dacquisto (to read a more detail story of the trip, please refer to Mike's Article)

Mike I was not sure to expect when boarding the Emirates flight from San Francisco to Dubai on 9/28/10 (15 hours non stop) and then to Ahmedabad, India (3 hours non stop) to begin our project. We arrived at 3 am on 9/30/10, expecting to be greeted by a hotel shuttle. Instead we were greeted by a contingent of Rotarians including Mohan Kamath, our trip contact and on the ground leader who stayed with us for the entire time (9/30/10 through 10/11/10 at 4:25 am when we left for 2 days in Dubai on the way home), and the Ahmedabad North Rotary Club president Devidas Bhanushali.

We spent the first 4 days in Ahmedabad, the largest city in the State of Gujarat. Our time there included a Rotary meeting with the local contact club Ahmedabad North, visits to the Akshardham temple, the Gandhi Ashram, the Blind People’s Association, the old portion of the city in Ahmedabad and one day of fitting the LN-4 hands.

We spent the 5th day traveling to Sayla, conducting one day of fitting the Ln-4 hands and training local fitters, and then traveling to Bhuj. Both cities are located in Gujarat. This was the longest and most tiring day. We traveled from Sayla to Bhuj in a jam packed ten person van, which included an air conditioner on the roof of the van that thought the water condensation was best removed by emptying into the van. At one abrupt stop the whole pan of water emptied out the front of the air conditioner, giving me a nice bath.

We spent the next 4 days in Bhuj. In 2001 an earthquake of approximately 8.0 magnitude struck this area and resulted in casualties of approximately 25,000+. It also generated many upper arm amputations and multiple candidates for the LN-4 hand. During our time there we spent one day training 5 people and showed them how to fit and use the LN-4 hand, one day fitting hands, and two days shopping and sightseeing. We saw the old fort in Bhuj, last used by the king of the province of Kutch, the old city in Bhuj which had survived the earthquake and local shopping areas.

The last 2 days in India were spent with a train ride back from Bhuj to Ahmedabad, more shopping, and a final visit with the hosting Rotarians.

All told, we delivered 200 LN-4 hands to India. Approximately 50 were fitted in the three clinics. The remaining hands were left at each location for future use. I believe the Bhuj fitting was the most beneficial. After that time I understand more than 20 people have come to the Bhuj clinic for evaluation and fitting with an LN-4 hand and more than 10 have come to the Sayla clinic.

The personal benefit for me, and I suspect for the 7 other team members, from this project was enormous. Providing this simple mechanical hand to a man, woman or child who has had no use from a hand for many years and seeing the reaction to this marvelous gift cannot be described in words. Sometimes tears broke out. Sometimes smiles suddenly appeared. Happiness and joy permeated the room. Here a picture really is worth 1,000 words.

Every person we met, without exception, was gracious and hospitable. Our comfort and happiness was their first concern. On the streets, at the hand fittings, while shopping and sightseeing and anywhere else we traveled people would come up to us, ask where we were from, often want a picture with us, and generally express an interest in speaking with us and learning about why we were there. I’m not sure why they wanted a picture with us because the odds of follow up in the future would be small. Many knew “America” or “USA” while few knew “California.” This friendly attitude and outpouring of interest and curiosity is something not seen in the United States. When was the last time you went up to someone who looked like he was from another country and asked for a picture with him or asked him anything about where he was from?

All of the Rotarians we met were warm, welcoming, interested in the LN-4 project and constantly expressing concern for our well being and comfort. We attended two regular rotary meetings, exchanged club flags and gifts and experienced good fellowship with our counterparts. They expressed as much interest in our lives and interests as we expressed in theirs and the time spent with them, one on one and in small groups was very valuable.

To know more about this event published in the Ahmedabad North Rotary Club newsletter, please CLICK HERE. Please note that this pdf file is quite large (6MB) and it takes several minutes to download.

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