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Meet 6-year-old Khendo and Nirmala, 7, from Nepal. They first met at Bir Hospital in Kathmandu after they both tragically lost a leg in the earthquake that struck the country in April 2015. For the last three months they have laughed together, gone through their rehabilitation together and awaited their new artificial limb legs together. In that time they have formed a very special bond.

In Sierra Leone, Handicap International plays an active role in campaigns to inform people of the ways in which the virus is transmitted and what they can do to limit the risk of contamination. To ensure everyone is well informed, Handicap International has organized the translation of the campaign’s messages into Braille and sign language and has produced an information book for children.

One year ago, the conflict that gripped Gaza during the summer of 2014 was just beginning. Odai Ali, 21, was at home helping on the family cattle farm, as he used to do most days.

The lives of civilians in Gaza are still endangered by explosive remnants of war , one year after the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Palestinian on 7 July 2014. At least 4,500 explosive devices  are still buried under the rubble of houses and infrastructure destroyed during the 50-day conflict. Handicap International immediately supplied aid to the most vulnerable individuals and, since March, it has organized risk education sessions on explosive remnants of war to prevent more people falling victims to these weapons.

Following the 2014 conflict in Gaza, thousands of unexploded bombs and other ordnance (UXO) lay hidden under rubble and inside damaged buildings. Despite clearance efforts, Gaza is still contaminated by 4,500 items which pose a serious threat to civilians, many of whom do not realize that the bombs can still explode. To prevent injuries and deaths, Handicap International teams travel throughout Gaza educating residents - like Hamza - about what to do when they find potentially dangerous objects.

The lives of civilians in the Gaza Strip are still at risk from explosive remnants of war, one year after the start of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. Active in Gaza since 1996, Handicap International has been conducting risk education activities to help prevent accidents in the future. Guillaume Zerr, the head of Handicap International’s mission in the Palestinian Territories, explains more.

Without immediate and thorough rehabilitation, people with serious injuries can develop complications that can make it difficult or impossible for them to regain their mobility. Nowhere is this clearer than with the Nepal earthquake survivors who had legs amputated.

Sunil Pokhrel, Senior Physical Therapist at Handicap International Nepal, discusses how our teams are helping earthquake survivors with amputations to walk again.

Since March 2015, Handicap International has been leading risk education sessions in several parts of the Gaza strip. After the military operations in July and August 2014 there are explosive remnants of war absolutely everywhere, which poses a serious threat to the population.

Lyon will be playing host to the World Congress of the International Society for Artificial Limbs and Braces (ISPO) between 22 and 25 June. Handicap International, which has its head office in Lyon, will use this congress to underline the importance of enabling people to access rehabilitation services at each stage of a humanitarian operation, from emergency operations to development programs. Physical rehabilitation enables individuals to make full use of their physical abilities and promotes their inclusion within society.

Over 60 years of conflict have left the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir heavily polluted by landmines and other explosive weapons. Accidents are frequent and half of all the victims are local people often employed the military. Although Urdu is the first language of most people in the state, many of the signs that warn people about the proximity of these weapons are in Hindi.

Together with UNICEF, our team in Mozambique have produced this great website to raise awareness about inclusion. It includes case studies and a nifty short video!

Last November, Mostafa's house was bombed and his legs were seriously injured. He is now living in a shelter made from corrugated iron and tarpaulins with his brothers and his sister. With her help, and with support from Handicap International, Mostafa is getting back both his mobility - and his smile.

Handicap International’s teams face two major challenges in Nepal: providing support to the injured after they leave hospital and transporting aid to people living in isolated areas.