We imagine a world where everyone has access to high-quality prosthetics
Project Circleg is a Swiss-East African social enterprise endorsing a holistic approach in the development of appropriate lower-limb prosthetic systems for people living in low- to middle-income countries. Locally and readily available plastics are transformed into affordable high-quality prosthetics through innovative circular manufacturing processes.
35 – 40 million people worldwide require prosthetic or orthotic care
Today only 1 out of 10 people have access to appropriate assistive products, including prostheses and orthoses. Without access to such products, many individuals in need are confined to their homes and live dependent, excluded lives, increasing the impact of the impairment and disability on the person, family and society.
— World Health Organization (WHO)
80% of people with disabilities live in the global south
Healthcare provision is too often unevenly provided and qualified health professionals are lacking – reducing both quality and quantity of healthcare services while demand remains high. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) highlights the importance of availability and access to affordable, high-quality mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, including prostheses and orthoses.
— Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
We look at the bigger picture
Project Circleg is forging a holistic solution for prosthetic care that focuses on users by design, while taking into consideration both local contexts and corresponding global framework. We care as much about the quality of the prosthetic system as we do about the social challenges and environmental issues associated with it.
Tailoring to user-specific needs
Both amputees and orthopaedic technicians are users of the Circleg prosthetic system. By observing, listening and co-creating, we include their needs, preferences and expectations, respecting their dignity and circumstances.
Considering the local context
The integration of local conditions is essential to the Circleg approach. This condition comprises cultural and societal aspects such as rituals and habits of people, environmental factors including local climate and resource management, in addition to governance aspects such as corporate social responsibility and regulatory compliance.
Aligned with global objectives
Our actions are strongly aligned with global frameworks such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with recommendations for assistive technology provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and with specific recommendations, regulations and standards for prosthetic and orthotic services by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO).
Transforming the vision into reality
All great achievements require time and patience – trusting the process. Project Circleg is in the development phase and constantly improving the Circleg prosthetic system. We plan to start the local production in East Africa by the end of 2022. Support us in this phase or contact us to pre-order the first Circleg Series. Stay tuned and learn more about our latest developments in our monthly newsletter.
Development
2019–2020
Industrialisation
2021–2022
Scale-Up
2022–2024
«Although it is purely mechanical, I can do almost the same movements as with my high-tech prosthesis.»
— Andre Frei, Cybathlon Pilot and Circleg Ambassador.
«This project is directly touching the life of disabled people in Kenya. We really need it and we very much welcome you.»
— Thadius Mogendi, Chairman of the Lake Naivasha Disability Environmental Group
Driven by impact
Project Circleg addresses the global demand for affordable, high-quality prosthetics holistically with special consideration on economic, social, environmental and governance outcomes. We stand for sustainability and believe in long-term finite resource management as key to success and an engine for innovation and growth. Our organizational values are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Project Circleg contributes to 10 out of 17 SDGs, with a core emphasis on freedom of mobility for disability inclusive development.
Winner of Design Prize Switzerland 21!
WOOOOOW! Project Circleg has received the Design Preis Schweiz 21! We are honoured and incredibly grateful to receive such a prestigious award. As a newcomer in the Going Circular category, we want to share this award with all our fellow nominees. For us, the circular economy is the basis for everything we do, and we believe that it should equally be the basis for everything that will be designed and manufactured in the future. So let’s do this together and actively push towards circularity!
We are Cybathlon 2020 Winner!
Cybathlon is a unique international competition in which people with physical disabilities compete against each other to complete everyday tasks using state-of-the-art technical assistance systems. Project Circleg was the only team to compete with a purely mechanical prosthetic system in 2020’s Global Event. The result exceeded all our expectations: our pilot Andre Frei completed the parkour with the Circleg Zero flawlessly and faster than all other teams and thus won gold for Team Circleg. It was proof that the Circleg prosthetic system can convince with its functionality in situations relevant to everyday life and that the development of Project Circleg is definitely on the right track. This is the result of incredible teamwork, a lot of commitment and heart and soul. We are extremely proud of our pilot Andre as well as the entire Circleg team and are convinced that with Project Circleg we will have a positive impact on the lives of people with a leg amputation.
