In a continued effort to curb stigmatisation, and discrimination of persons living with disability specifically limb loss, The IREDE Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to taking action so child amputees and their families is holding a walk on Saturday in Lagos.

The walk themed A Walk For Inclusion”, Ooal 2023 according to its organisers is aimed at educating and creating awareness on the need for inclusion will provide a  platform for people with disabilities to see and care for themselves, and it will also allow others to see how disability and exclusion affect us all and how we can all build a more inclusive society.

Speaking at a media event covered by webteam@ipledge2nigeria  correspondent in Lagos on Monday to update the press on its activities, Crystal Chigbu Executive director The IREDE Foundation (TIF) stated that the walk is scheduled for 8th April 2023, and it is staged to happen across 60 locations worldwide.”

Explaining further Chigbu said that the advocacy walk started as a result of my journey. I gave birth to a daughter without bones in her legs and ultimately we had to amputate her legs. As I continued in life, I realized there were a lot of children like her and I wanted to put an end to stigmatisation. I wanted to ensure inclusion in society and inspire people with disabilities that it is possible to live a full life. The crucial thing is that we can’t do it alone, so we need the help of the media to help spread awareness and it’s limb loss awareness month which makes it all perfect.”

According to Wuraola Kayode, Programs Lead The IREDE foundation, “This year, the walk will be held across 60 global locations simultaneously and the foundation aims to have an indirect reach of 15,000,000 people with 5,000 participants which will enable opportunity to raise awareness about Limb loss increase top of mind awareness about the limb loss and the support available for children with disabilities, inclusive education, and raise funds to continue to empower child amputees.”

In the past 9 years, the Irede Foundation has held the Out-On-A-Limb Advocacy Walk in April which is also the month dedicated to raising awareness for

Limb Loss and Limb Differences globally; to raise funds for children living with limb loss in Nigeria, and to also spotlight the challenges peculiar to them whilst celebrating their uniqueness, and ability to thrive against all odds.

Last year, the Out on a Limb Walk attracted over a hundred {100} advocates globally, who walked in different locations to create awareness whilst raising funds

through the sales of T-shirts and to provide limbs for Children with Limb loss.

In 2022 alone, the foundation provided a total of one hundred and two {102} prosthetic limbs to ninety-one {91} child amputees, three {3} of which came from proceeds from the walk.