NGO to give 100 artificial limbs to PWDs

Irede Foundation, an NGO, says it is giving out 100 limbs to children with disabilities to mark the 2022 “Out on a Limb“ campaign.

Foundation Executive Director of the foundation, Crystal Chigbu, disclosed this on Wednesday at a news conference in Lagos to herald the 2022 “Out on a Limb” campaign.

Yearly April is dedicated to the loss of limbs globally.

Chigbu said that 2022 would mark the 9th anniversary of the “Out on a Limb” campaign for the foundation and its 10th anniversary.

According to her, the theme for the 2022 celebration is “Iredians”.

“We are holding the street walk in 40 locations across the world simultaneously.

“We will be in London, Germany, France, Kenya, to mention but a few.

“Twenty states in Nigeria, including Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, among others, will also participate in the walk.

“We are stopping the stigmatisation, and stereotypes associated with limb loss,” Chigbu said.

She said that the foundation aimed to raise 10,000 advocates through the campaign.

She implored the public to refer any child without limbs to the foundation’.

Chigbu expressed deep appreciation to NNPC and its subsidiaries, Procter and Gamble, the 7-Up Company, for partnering with the foundation.

Also speaking, the Senior Programme Officer of the foundation, Miss Wuruola Kayode, said that the NGO had given out 252 limbs to children with disabilities since inception.

According to Kayode, the average price of an artificial limb is between N1.2m and N1.5m, depending on the prevailing exchange rate.

Speaking on the theme of the campaign, the Programme Officer, Mr Gerald Obasi, said that the concepts revolved around five disability types, limb loss, cerebral palsy, autism, blindness and polio.

Obasi said that five children represented these types of disabilities.

“It is used to depict the challenges faced by the kids while living together,” Obasi said.

He said that the concepts achieved its aim by stopping bullying among kids as they learn to tolerate one another.

The walk, which will begin at Ikoyi and Iyana Ipaja in Lagos, will feature notable artists, comedians and actors.