Collection of prosthetics and transport via carpool to a recycling facility

Ekolo Mundo does not control the feasibility or viability of the proposed solutions

Structure : Nav'Solidaire

France

Blainville-sur-Mer.

Normandy

Difficulty level :

We collect unused prosthetics through a network of 131 collection points in France and across Europe. Patients and healthcare professionals can donate their equipment by dropping it off at a collection point or mailing it to us. Our carpooling solution, “Bla-bla-legs,” transports the prosthetics to our workshop in Normandy, thereby reducing our carbon footprint.

Thanks to the Atelier Nav’So and its volunteers, we recycle and reuse the prosthetics as part of a mission that promotes both solidarity and environmental sustainability. The workshop sorts, cleans, and prepares the equipment before shipping. On site, our orthopedic prosthetist partners ensure the equipment is properly used to fit patients.

We transport prosthetics to West Africa using “Bla-Bla-Boat” sailboats, thereby minimizing our environmental impact. Yacht owners transport this equipment during their voyages to Cape Verde or the Caribbean, reducing CO2 emissions while supporting our humanitarian mission.

Additional information

Winner of the 2026 ESS Inspiration Award organized by Crédit Coopératif.

Because it has been built on these two pillars since its inception, and because it was founded by a group of friends who share humanistic and environmental values, are passionate about the sea, and were moved by the amputation of one of their own, the Nav’Solidaire association, recognized as a public-interest organization, has been pursuing a clear goal since 2020: to recycle unused prosthetic equipment in Europe and redistribute it in an eco-responsible manner.

Thanks to recreational sailors, this equipment is transported to amputees in need. Today, more than 40 million people worldwide do not have access to prosthetics.

In many low-income countries, only 5% to 15% of people who need orthopedic devices—primarily lower-limb prostheses and orthoses—have access to them. (Source: WHO)

Nav’Solidaire’s mission is to work alongside its partners to help restore the ability to walk independently to as many people as possible.