A Non-governmental Organisation, Irede Foundation, has said giving limbs to child amputees will greatly reduce the stigma they face in the society.
This was stated by the foundation’s Executive Director, Crystal Chigbu, at the 10th-year celebration of the foundation.
Chigbu stressed the need for child amputees to get prosthetic limbs as it would make it easier for them to live normal lives as well as lessen the burdens of their parents.
She said, “So far, we have given over 300 limbs to children across Nigeria but there are still so many in the waiting pool. We need to help these children live normal lives. Each limb costs N1m and above. We need all the help and support we can get as foundation to also help this children in return.
“Many of these children face stigma in their schools, among their peers but with each child we can provide a prosthetic limb for, we lessen the stigma.”
Speaking on the 10th year celebration, the foundation’s Board Chairman, Kunle Akinkugbe, said in the next 10 years, the foundation would be looking at expanding the frontiers of its operations and provide more limbs for amputees around Nigeria and Africa.
He said, “Events like this one serve as a marker in history because it stands as a testament to where we have been and foundation to where we are going and I can say that we are all part of a critical history in the life of Iredé foundation, the live of amputee children in Nigeria and the disability community as a whole.
“In these 10 years, we achieved incredible things as an organisation, we gave limbs to 150+ child amputees, and had six Out On A Limb walk raising awareness about disability and child amputees.
“All these could not have been possible without the support of our partners, donors and stakeholders who have also come to believe this dream that every child deserve to life a limitless life.
“The past 10 years has been incredible, and we are here to dream again. IREDE is a dreaming organization, because we believe to help people live their dreams you have to be a dreamer yourself.
“In the next 10 years we are looking at expanding the frontiers of our operations, we want to provide more limbs for amputees around Nigeria and Africa and we are developing ourselves into an institutional powerhouse for innovations around the issues of disabilities and child imputations.”
