The gratitude we receive here for our contribution is indescribably immense, and the challenges such as a different language, culture, and approach are certainly an asset to our future as physiotherapists.
- Merel Mertens, Jitske Moyaert, and Yunah Verheyen
The Fanarenana Project is an inspiring collaboration between the Faculty of Design Sciences and the Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy programme under the guidance of Pieter Tieleman, Kristof Vaes, and Chris Van Noten, aimed at providing vulnerable families in Madagascar access to essential rehabilitation services.
Product Development students, such as Laura Hauspie, use their skills to develop prosthetics as part of their master's theses. These prototypes are developed in Belgium to be tested later in Madagascar. The current master's thesis project aims to produce night AFOs (Ankle-Foot Orthoses) for the children of the Fanarenana Rehabilitation Center using local materials and by local craftsmen. This center accommodates children with disabilities and children recovering from (orthopedic) surgery who require rehabilitation.
Every year, a group of physiotherapy students goes on an internship to Madagascar. Under the guidance of a local physiotherapist, they apply their acquired knowledge and techniques for the benefit of the rehabilitation of the children at the rehabilitation center. In February '24, Merel Mertens, Jitske Moyaert, and Yunah Verheyen eagerly departed for Madagascar where they will stay until the end of May. They are assisting Laura in testing and adjusting the AFO night braces, conducting measurements, etc., for the children of Fanarenana.
Follow their fascinating experiences on the Instagram page "_i_like_to_move_it" and take a look at the pictures below.
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