Some physically challenged persons from Modupe Cole Memorial Physiotherapy Centre
Gate of Hope Foundation, a non-government organisation, on Saturday in Osogbo, presented 164 physically-challenged persons with free artificial limbs and callipers to aid their movement and improve their lives.
The foundation, in partnership with Tolaram Foundation, Lagos, presented the walking aids to the physically-challenged persons, as a measure to discourage them from being despondent or becoming beggars on the street.
Mr Niyi Ibikunle, founder of Gate of Hope Foundation, disclosed in Osogbo that 130 of the beneficiaries were given artificial limbs, while 34 others got callipers to aid their movement.
Ibunkunle, who himself is visually-impaired, said that the initiative was borne out of the need to reintegrate the physically-challenged persons into the society.
He appealed to the public and government to always encourage physically-challenged persons in the society by offering them employment and empowering them economically.
According to him, such gestures will help to keep their hopes alive and take them off the streets as beggars.
He noted that a lot of physically-challenged persons had been abandoned by their partners or relatives, stressing that giving them opportunities to fend for themselves would give them another chance to live meaningful lives.
Mr Jaiprakash Bidlan, the Lagos Branch Coordinator of Tolaram, said that the foundation was an Indian-owned foundation and company.
He said Tolaram was presenting the free limbs as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.
Bidlan said that the company, having been operating in Nigeria since 1976, had grown into a conglomerate with a group of companies in the country.
He said that two of the companies specialised in the provision of artificial limbs for physically-challenged persons, adding that they had 30 camps across the country.
Bidlan said that the companies had, since 2009, given out 7,600 artificial limbs free of charge, adding that the gesture was a continuous one.
Mr Morufu Oyelade, a beneficiary of the programme, said that the artificial leg he received was very handy and thanked the two foundations for their kind gesture.
He recalled that in 2008 when he wanted to acquire an artificial limb for his amputated leg, he was asked to pay N200,000 which he could not afford.
164 physically-challenged get artificial limbs, callipers
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