Artificial limbs in iron moulds, in Jaipur

From the archive record

The Jaipur foot looks like a real foot, has the ability to bend in all directions enough to allow a person to squat and walk on uneven terrain, and is a very low-cost alternative costing less than $5 USD to make, and can be fabricated in less than 3 hours. The foot is made out of wood and sponge rubber and then heat-molded using iron molds. The outer rubber gives the foot its realistic appearance and natural color as well as waterproofing the wooden block inside. The manufacturing process of the foot. Each craftsperson makes 5 to 6 feet per day. They work a 6 day week and the majority of them are amputees or affected by polio themselves. Various rubber and wooden pieces are used to construct the foot before it is put into a die that gives it the realistic appearance. Bhagwan Mahaveer Vikla