Humanity & Inclusion provides rehabilitation and psychosocial support training sessions to medical professionals at one of its partner centers in Ukraine, the Vinnytsia Medical Rehabilitation Center for children.

Constant shelling in Ukraine has cost Misha his home, his job and the life he knew. At Humanity & Inclusion’s partner rehabilitation center, he found work and support. This is his story:

My name is Mykhailo, but you can call me Misha.

Following a fire when he was little, Dieudonné's leg was amputated. After receiving a new artificial limb from Humanity & Inclusion, he is learning to walk again and is even starting to play soccer.

Dieudonné is 12 years old and lives with his grandmother, aunt and cousin in a small community in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Following a fire when he was only three months old, he had to have his right leg amputated. In 2022, Dieudonné was given an artificial limb by HI and is currently participating in physical therapy sessions at the University Clinics of Kinshasa. He can now stand without difficulty and is learning to walk without using his crutches.

Dieudonné is cared for by his grandmother, Rose, who sees him as her own son.

One day, when he was still a baby, oil spilled on the ground and the house caught fire. Dieudonné’s leg was caught in the flames, but Rose just managed to save him and took him straight to the hospital. The doctors had to make a quick decision to amputate, as the fire had already damaged a large part of his right leg, almost to the knee. During his stay in the hospital, the doctors treated the wound until it healed.

When one of HI’s mobile clinics came in contact with Dieudonné in 2020, the team found that he required surgery before he could be given the appropriate fittings. The HI team advised Rose to seek the support of a local elected official, known for their generosity and awareness of people with disabilities, to raise the funds needed for the operation.

In 2021, after having his operation and being hospitalized for more than a month, Dieudonné was able to return home and go back to school. He then had to wait for the wound to heal completely before he could receive his artificial leg. Delivery of the prosthesis was delayed by a major strike in the medical sector, but in 2022 HI was able to provide him with an artificial limb that allowed him to walk using both legs.

With great emotion in her voice, Rose explains how happy she is to see her grandson walk as he did before.

“I was very annoyed, because all these years whenever I bought a pair of shoes, I could only give him one and had to throw the other one away,” Rose explains. “It was like throwing money down the drain! Now it’s over, he can finally put both shoes on.

“And if HI hadn’t intervened, we wouldn’t have had this prosthesis because they're very expensive and I don’t have the money to buy one.”

Before receiving his artificial limb, Dieudonné walked with a crutch which required a lot of effort. Thanks to his rehabilitation exercises with Euphrasie, his physical therapist, he is learning to walk and everything now seems easier.

Euphrasie works at the University Clinics in Kinshasa. Several years ago, the rehabilitation center there was supported by HI. She has been working there with Dieudonné for over four weeks and explains with a smile how well he is doing. She can feel the full force of the young boy’s desire to get up, move around and walk.

“Dieudonné is really making a tremendous effort to get better and it’s great to have the rehabilitation sessions with him,” Euphrasie says.” I also work with adults, and it’s complicated at times with some of them who don’t necessarily have the same motivation.”

Euphrasie does several exercises with Dieudonné: going up and down stairs, catching and throwing a ball, walking, and more so he will feel increasingly comfortable with his artificial leg. During these exercises, Euphrasie says to him, in a kind and knowing voice: “Don’t be scared to put all your weight on your prosthesis, Dieudonné, it’s quite solid. Have faith in it!”

Unisha, 13, lives in Biratnagar, Nepal. Born without her right leg, she’s been autonomous for nearly a decade with support from Humanity & Inclusion’s partners.

Unisha lives with her parents and paternal grandmother in a three-room house surrounded by rice fields in Nepal’s southern plain called Terai region. An only child, she was born with just one leg due to a congenital disease called limb agenesis.

Unisha’s parents were anxious about her future. They feared that she would never be independent; that she wouldn’t be able to go to school or have a social life and that she would suffer from being stigmatized. Also, because one of her parents had to stay at home to look after her, their income was reduced. The challenges and worries for her family were considerable, but Unisha's parents didn’t give up and were there for each other.

“People blamed me for giving birth to a child with just one leg,” says Anita, Unisha's mother. “My husband is the only one who has always supported me. But I never gave up and I promised myself that one day my daughter would walk, whatever it took.”

A door opens

Unisha was 4 years old when her parents heard through local outreach teams about the HI-supported rehabilitation center in Biratnagar, only a few miles from their home.

With this news, a door opened up for them and they seized the opportunity it provided. They took Unisha to the center where they met the local teams of prosthetic technicians and physical therapists. They were told what the center could offer Unisha: a new artificial limb every two years (or more often if necessary), long-term support and monthly physical therapy sessions.

“Fortunately, we met Ambika, an orthotics and prosthetics technician working with HI’s partner,” Anika says. “She has been a vital support for us, especially for me. It would have been a bleak existence for my daughter if we hadn’t met Ambika."

A few months after this first meeting, Unisha received her first artificial leg. Since then, she has visited the center every three months. Ambika, who has worked with Unisha from the beginning, adapts her artificial limb to her growth and shows her new exercises to do every day to improve her physical condition.

“I’ve known Unisha since she was little,” Ambika explains. "At first, she was reluctant to use the prosthesis. It hurts at first; you have to get used to it. But gradually, after six months or so, she accepted it. After that, she couldn't be parted from it. She didn't even want to take it off to go to bed!"

HI’s local partner, Community Based Rehabilitation Center-Biratnagar takes a holistic approach to patients. Its actions are designed to cover all their needs:

• Establishing contact via the outreach team;
• Thorough rehabilitation assessment to identify the needs and physical therapy sessions;
• Taking measurements of the person’s stump;
• Making the artificial limb or brace with materials available locally;
• Train users to gain confidence on the use of their artificial limb in their own environment;
• Regular follow-up every three months or when needed;
• Replacing the mobility aid every two years or when needed;
• Providing physical therapy sessions.

A future like everybody else

As soon as Unisha received her artificial leg, she enrolled in school. She now goes to studies at a private school 2.5 miles from her home, where all the classes are in English. Every day, the school bus picks her up at 9 a.m. and brings her back at 4:30 p.m.

From day one, she wanted to be like everyone else. A lot of people don't even know that Unisha has an artificial leg.

"She makes a point of doing everything like the others and doesn't accept any special treatment," says Priti, her social studies teacher. "I’d been working here for a few months when Unisha took me aside to show me her leg and told me about her experience. I was so moved it brought tears to my eyes. I hadn't noticed a thing before that. I was touched by her trust in me and I admired her strength of character and lust for life.”

In the future, Unisha would like to do social work so that she too can help others. Her experience has given her this open-mindedness and desire to be useful. Her teachers have no doubts about her future. If she continues like this, she will be able to do whatever she wants.

"Thanks to the rehabilitation care provided by HI, the other children treat my daughter like one of their own because now she can walk and communicate like everyone else,” Anita adds. “It would be a disaster if we didn't have this help."  

Unisha has proven that an adjustment can open doors, including the door to a dignified and autonomous future. Every human being should have this opportunity. Yet there are many people in Nepal for whom it is not the case. HI is working to extend its presence and reach in Nepal through its many local partners and its five rehabilitation centers in different parts of the country.

Since February 2022 in Ukraine, there have been more than 17,000 civilian casualties, including over 10,000 people injured. Humanity & Inclusion’s experts are working to strengthen prosthetic and orthotic services across the country.

With war ongoing in Ukraine, people are at risk of conflict-related injuries from explosive weapons during an armed attack, collapsing buildings, or accidental contact with a landmine or explosive ordnance that may be left over from combat or set as a booby trap.

After Hidayatullah was born with clubfeet, his mother was referred to Humanity & Inclusion's rehabilitation center in Kandahar.

Hidayatullah was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2021. After his diagnosis with clubfeet, his mother shared her fears with the doctors: Would her son be able to stand up? Would he be able to walk one day?

The doctors immediately referred Hidayatullah and his mother to Humanity & Inclusion’s rehabilitation center in Kandahar, the only rehabilitation center in southern Afghanistan. After examining the baby, HI’s physical therapists quickly reassured his mother that they could treat him.

There were several stages to Hidayatullah’s treatment. First, his feet were put in casts. These casts were changed every week for several weeks to make gradual corrections and slowly straighten the position of his feet.

"This process went on for a while, but my son's feet were getting into the right position and shape, which gave me hope," explains Hidayatullah's mother.

HI’s teams then fitted Hidayatullah with an orthopedic brace: small shoes with a bar attached. He wore his “boots” for almost a year, keeping his feet turned outward. Throughout this period, the baby was monitored by HI’s teams. Checks and adjustments would be needed until he reached walking age.

Hidayatullah's treatment went smoothly. Today, he is standing up, ready to take his first steps – and his family is reassured.

"My son can now play with the other children,” his mother says. “He can stand and walk with his own feet that are straight now. I hope he will be a good student at school. My whole family and I are happy now, and grateful for the services and staff at HI."

When Abdel was 16 years old, he lost his leg in a landmine explosion. Humanity & Inclusion has helped him rebuild his life through rehabilitation care and a new artificial limb.

Abdel and his friend were working on a farm when his friend stepped on a landmine. Unaware of the risks posed by mines—including that they are often laid in groups—Abdel ran to his friend's aid. He stepped on another mine and severely injured his leg in the explosion.

Abdel was taken to the hospital in Sana’a, where his right leg was amputated.

Humanity & Inclusion’s rehabilitation team in Yemen initially provided Abdel with a pair of crutches to help him get around. He then had sessions to prepare him for an artificial limb. Once it had been fitted, he participated in rehabilitation sessions to learn to walk with his new leg.

Abdel does not live near the rehabilitation center, so Humanity & Inclusion provided transport and accommodation to facilitate his treatment and recovery. Abdel has also received financial assistance to help him meet his needs.

With Humanity & Inclusion's support, Abdel is back on his feet again. He has regained his independence and self-confidence.

“My prosthesis has changed my life,” Abdel says. “I can walk and tend to my land and my crops. People who don't know I had an accident don't even notice that I am wearing a prosthesis.”

Priti, 6, lives in Biratnagar, Nepal. After her mother experienced labor complications, Priti was born with cerebral palsy. Priti and her family met Humanity & Inclusion’s local partners two years ago and have been receiving support ever since. They tell us about their journey, their progress and their hopes for the future.

Priti lives with her mother Uma, her paternal grandparents and her twin brother. Her father, Deepak, works in Qatar to support his family and only visits every two years.

When the twins were born, Priti’s twin brother came into the world first. Complications set in with Priti, who remained stuck for 25 minutes. Those minutes were life-changing. She ran out of oxygen, causing irreversible damage to her brain.

"At the time, we had no idea how the situation would develop,” Uma explains. “The doctor didn't tell us anything. It was only after 8 months, when her brother started to crawl and roll over, that we noticed something was wrong. She slept all the time, she couldn't move and her hands made strange movements.”

As the weeks went by, Priti's family began to understand the consequences of the oxygen deprivation at birth. The little girl had no control over her limbs and was unable to speak. She was completely dependent on her family for everything: feeding, drinking, bathing, sitting.

With time, she has developed ways of communicating with her family and today she is able to make her basic needs understood through looks, gestures and sounds.

Holistic rehabilitation care

Two years ago, thanks to local outreach teams, Priti's family discovered the rehabilitation center supported by Humanity & Inclusion in Biratnagar.

The center is in the nearest town, an hour’s drive from their home. The journey isn't easy as the roads are poor and transporting Priti is complicated. But her family is determined; they won't give up. They’ll do whatever it takes to improve their daughter’s existence.

When they first took Priti to the center, they met with the team of physical therapists and discovered what it could offer them: a specially adapted chair, support in obtaining financial aid from the local government and long-term physical therapy to improve Priti’s quality of life.

Since then, they visit the center once a month to be shown new exercises by Rinki, the physical therapist who has been working with Priti from the start. Then, every day, her mother helps Priti do these exercises at home.

"It's a challenge, both for Priti and for me, but I want to keep doing it for my daughter's sake,” Uma explains. “Progress is variable; it takes time. But I’m happy with the way things are going.”

Rinki also provides tele-rehabilitation sessions. Priti's mother contacts her by video-call and they do the exercises together from a distance. These remote sessions mean that the family doesn’t have to travel all the way to the center for the slightest issue and Priti benefits from in-depth and regular support.

“The results show clear progress; every part of her body is gradually becoming less rigid,” explains Rinki. “For example, before she couldn't open her hands. They were completely curled in on themselves. Now her hand opens and closes much more easily. What's more, thanks to the chair specially designed for children with cerebral palsy, Priti can now sit up and take hold of objects in front of her. These exercises are essential for her development and well-being. Every morning, Priti's mom puts her in this chair for 30 minutes and helps her do exercises.”

Priti’s favorite time of the day is when her brother comes home from school. She crawls to him and stays beside him while he does his homework. Her brother is very close to Priti and loves it when she keeps him company while he studies.

“It's like she wants to learn what he’s learning at school; she tries to see what he’s doing,” Uma says. “If we move her away from him, she throws a tantrum.”

Accessibility challenges in Nepal

The road ahead is long and will be far from easy, especially in Nepal. Priti's parents are worried. They know that she will never be autonomous because Nepal lacks accessible infrastructure—adapted schools, high-tech electric wheelchairs, etc.

"There is a school in Kathmandu that provides rehabilitation and education to children with cerebral palsy,” Uma adds. “I hope that one day there’ll be a school like that here in Biratnagar. It would allow Priti to go to school and have even more rehabilitation exercises—and it would allow me to go back to work.”

In Nepal, through five partner-run rehabilitation centers, HI is working to assist as many people with disabilities as possible—people like Priti. Local teams are working toward a more equitable and inclusive society where every human being can find their place and be treated with dignity

Gatluak Muon used to find daily activities challenging and felt isolated from his community. With physical rehabilitation care from Humanity & Inclusion, he is already experiencing progress.

Gatluak, 7, lives in the Nguenyyiel refugee camp in Gambella, Ethiopia. Born in South Sudan, warfare forced his family to flee to Ethiopia when he was only 3.

When she was pregnant with him, Gatluak’s mother did not have access to the medical follow-up she needed, which led to pregnancy complications and developmental delays for her baby. Gatluak was born with cerebral palsy, and began showing signs of intellectual and physical disabilities as a toddler. Movement and speaking were difficult and he did not play with other children his age.

Gatluak began to show signs of depression due to a lack of attention and support from his family and community. His appearance changed dramatically as he became thin and lost his strength. He experienced pain throughout his body and developed paralysis and muscle spasms, making it difficult to perform simple actions on his own.

Improving his independence

One day, Humanity & Inclusion’s team met Gatluak when conducting door-to-door visits with its community workers. A physical therapist noted that physical rehabilitation could improve his ability to perform everyday activities. After an individual assessment, the physical therapist developed a treatment plan that included various rehabilitation exercises, and they began working together right away.

At first, it was particularly challenging, since the exercises were sometimes painful. Gatluak worked through the pain and continued performing exercises like stretching and gait trainings to improve his range of motion. He regularly visited Humanity & Inclusion’s physical therapist, and was taught to practice his exercises twice a day. At home, he uses parallel bars that Humanity & Inclusion made for him with locally-sourced materials. Gradually, he’s begun to show progress. After only a few weeks he could walk and stand with minimal assistance.

Gatluak’s mother also played a significant role in his improvement. She learned the rehabilitation exercises with him and helped him practice at home every day. Humanity & Inclusion’s actions improved the mother-child bond between them and promoted Gatluak’s psychosocial wellbeing.

Today, the smile on his face says a lot. He is now playful and positively responding to the rehabilitation sessions that help make him more independent.   

“I’m so happy with my child's improvement,” his mother says. “I hope he will be able to go to school and play with his friends soon.”

After outgrowing her first artificial limb provided by Humanity & Inclusion's team, Sreyka was recently fitted for a new one.

Sreyka was walking home from school in May 2019 when she was hit by a speeding driver. Seriously injured, she was rushed to a nearby health center and then to the nearest hospital, which lacked the equipment needed to treat her. Sreyka was taken to a pediatric hospital in Cambodia's capital city, where doctors saved her life by amputating her left leg.

Seven months after the accident, Sreyka visited Humanity & Inclusion’s rehabilitation center in Kampong Cham, an hour from her village. Our team of experts immediately took good care of her, providing her with a custom-fit artificial leg and teaching her how to walk with it. She also participated in physical therapy and mental health counseling sessions, boosting her confidence for her return to school.

Having outgrown her first artificial leg, Sreyka recently returned to the center to be measured and fitted for a new one. With donor support, Humanity & Inclusion's prosthetic technicians repair and replace artificial limbs when users need them.