Six months ago, 17-year-old Salim was hit by a bomb while working in a grocery store near Hudaydah in Yemen. His injuries were so bad that he had to have his leg amputated below the knee. The experience left him shocked and anxious. Could he live with just one leg? How would he support his family? Would he be able to go back to school?
Salim traveled four hours to Sana’a rehabilitation center to see a physical therapist and be fitted with a prosthetic. “When I first saw Salim, he was depressed,” explains Sana, a psychologist with Humanity & Inclusion. “The pain was keeping him awake. He wouldn’t accept what had happened to him. He cried because he thought his future had been snatched away from him. He didn’t think he could wear a prosthesis and live a normal life.”
To strengthen his muscles and prepare him for his prosthesis, HI’s team provided him with physical therapy and gave him a pair of crutches. We also provided him with psychological support to help him manage his trauma.
"When I was discharged from the hospital after my amputation, I was too ashamed to go to school,” Salim explains. “I didn’t think I’d walk again. In the end, it's tough. But life goes on. I still have a future. I walk normally. I love reading and seeing my friends. I want to continue my studies and support my family."
