Crystal Chigbu is transforming the lives of disabled children through her organisation, the Irede Foundation.
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00:00 When a child gets a prosthetic leg from us, I have a sense of joy that is unquantifiable.
00:07 It just really helps me to imagine the kind of life the child can live.
00:13 It's limitless.
00:15 The independence, the endless possibilities that this child would have just because you introduced an artificial limb to them.
00:25 You see the impact of the work that you're doing. It's a positive response that usually we see with the children.
00:34 It gives me joy. It makes me smile.
00:37 My name is Crystal Chibu and I am the Executive Director of the Urede Foundation.
00:42 [Music]
00:57 Some years back, I gave birth to my daughter with a congenital limb deformity and her leg had to be amputated.
01:05 [Music]
01:08 So that's what led me to start the Urede Foundation so that children like my daughter can have a full life.
01:16 I've been using a prosthetic limb for as long as I can remember.
01:20 It makes life a lot easier, more efficient.
01:24 It's giving me opportunities to do other things because immobility is definitely a barrier.
01:30 [Music]
01:37 The Urede Foundation gives hope to children who are being amputated, either as a result of congenital issues or as a result of trauma.
01:47 Children with limb difference and amputations go through a lot of challenges.
01:53 From the psychosocial trauma that has to do with not having a limb to their peers just discriminating and stigmatizing them.
02:04 The prosthetic limbs that we give the children transforms the children's lives in no small measure.
02:11 It gives you a sense of having your complete limbs.
02:14 It helps you with the way you see yourself and perceive yourself.
02:18 [Music]
02:25 Life before I received my prosthetic limbs was not easy.
02:30 I couldn't do things like walking from school. I couldn't buy things.
02:35 The moment I received my limbs I was very happy.
02:40 I just wanted to start using the limbs without even practicing it.
02:47 [Music]
02:49 Urede Foundation has given me the opportunity to walk and I'm really thankful to them.
02:56 The use of the limb gets better as you consistently use it.
03:02 What we do at the Foundation is what's called the "gait training" for the child where you learn how to walk and use the prosthesis.
03:10 But with a minimum of two weeks people learn how to use the limb.
03:14 Receiving the limbs has really been one of the greatest things that have happened to this family, especially as a mother.
03:24 Before then I would start thinking how will he cope. I wanted him to be independent.
03:32 I didn't see a future without the limbs. So after getting the limbs I was blessed.
03:40 [Music]
03:47 I have a lot of encouragement for families or children with disabilities.
03:51 [Music]
03:53 I try to help the parents get to the point where they realize that if they can only get their child to know what's possible, the child can do so much more.
04:02 Yes, your body tells you a different thing, but I think there's so much power in trying to tell yourself that you can do something.
04:10 [Music]
04:20 The stigmatization and discrimination that happens when you have amputation is real.
04:26 When we started the Erede Foundation we asked ourselves what's the best way to involve the community, create awareness about limb loss and also people with limb difference.
04:38 [Music]
04:44 And so that's what gave birth to Out on the Limb.
04:48 We do a two kilometer walk every year and our hope is to be able to galvanize support to have over a million people marching, creating an awareness.
05:00 [Music]
05:03 I'm not sure that I'm the same person that I used to be.
05:06 I think just doing this work, meeting one family or the other, I've come to be a more grateful person.
05:15 Just being thankful for what I have and the opportunity to impact lives.
05:21 [Music]
05:24 There's so many aspirations. In the next five to ten years, have a really huge research institute so we can understand a bit more about how to fix the issues of amputation and what comes next after that.
05:38 Creating the kind of limbs that will help the children to live better lives.
05:42 And finally, just sit down some day and just look back and just continue to be grateful to God.
05:48 [Music]
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