“The first time I held my boy after delivery, it was really devastating. I wept for days,” says Mrs. Elfrida Joseph Osuma, a mother to one of the children born without limbs.

It is easy not knowing what it means to have a child born without limbs or to be a person living with a limb deformity. Stigmatization coupled with the lack of social amenities to function, low self-esteem, and opportunity has made it increasingly difficult for persons without limbs to live life to the fullest and realize their potentials.

Their stories are hardly told and are grossly underrepresented in mainstream and new media forms. However, the undiluted truth is that persons without limbs live amongst us and can be productive members of the society if the right opportunities are given to them.

While most people living without limbs were with multiple congenital amputations of the leg and fingers from birth, others suffered traumatic damages to their legs/arms from accidents, which resulted in amputation or had birth defects that required amputation.

The problem is further compounded by the cost of corrective measures and opportunities to correct limb losses via artificial limbs, prostheses or orthotics aid. A prosthetic limb costs an average of N1 – N1.5 million to procure and fit.

“A proper and functional prosthesis not just to walk (the wooden type) but so that later in life the health (spinal cord) won’t be affected, will cost in the region of N800,000 to N2 million, on average,” says a prosthetist. And this is a recurring cost.

“Prosthetic patients between the ages of birth and about 18 years will require a new socket and other prosthetic modifications at least once a year and should be evaluated by their clinician every six months, with careful monitoring by a parent or caregiver in between visits,” says Victor Anukam, a prosthetist with Purple Prosthetics Nigeria, a prosthetic care centre.

Faced with financial difficulty, societal stigma and health problems, persons without limbs are forced to live a hunting life for reasons that are beyond their control.

Due to a paucity of data, it is increasingly difficult to state the number of Nigerians that are without limbs. However, it is easy to infer that the number will most likely run into tens of millions considering the high number of accidents recorded daily on our, lack of quality healthcare delivery and certain harmful cultural practices and lifestyle.

But then do we abandon these people for reasons that are obviously beyond their control? Do we allow them to become roped into the grip of poverty, hunger, and crime? Or become beggars, seeking for free giveaways? It is imperative to always remember that persons living without limbs can become useful members of society and contribute significantly to the growth of the economy.

Researchers have shown that corrective measures go a long way in rehabilitating persons without limbs and allowing them to integrate themselves into society without fear of being lower than others.

But on the other hand, the prosthetics has to be changed after a maximum of three years while, for children below the age of 18, there is a need for the yearly refitting of new sockets and other prosthetic modifications in other to allow for growth of the youngsters.

“Imagine me saving N1 million yearly for the prosthesis. How much is my salary?” says Mrs. Osuma, whose son acquired new prosthetics through sponsorship.

Today, thirteen young children living without limbs have acquired these prosthetic legs through Stanbic IBTC corporate social responsibility initiative and more are likely to do so in the nearest future.

This year’s walk is taking place on Saturday 24th September in Abuja. The walk kicks off at 7am from the Stanbic IBTC regional office at Plot 1049, Ahmadu Bello Way, Garki 2. Join us and let’s walk #Together4ALimb

Watch below.