Florencia Castigo,18, had never heard of Jaipur, let alone Jaipur Foot. But this city will forever
remain etched in her mind for it has not only given hope but secured her bleak future.
Florencia, a native of faraway African nation, Mozambique, lost her right leg in an accidental
landmine blast two years ago. Since then she had had no hopes of walking again.
Florencia from village Macachula in Massinga district of Inhambane province in southern part of
Mozambique, was a school student who accidentally entered the landmine zone that were laid during
the Mozambique’s civil war in the Sixties.
Since independence from Portugal in 1975, Mozambique has been battered by civil war, economic
mismanagement and famine. A peace deal in 1992 ended 16 years of civil war, and the country has
made much progress in economic development and political stability.
These landmines lie underneath and hidden in various provinces of Mozambique. Some of these
landmines are still alive. One of those blasted accidentally and Florencia lost her right leg which got
blown away.
Florencia also received severe burn injuries on her left leg and on her hands and was treated in
Mozambique.
But with no facility for fitting artificial limbs in Mozambique, she lost all hopes of walking ever
again. She somehow managed with the help of crutches.
Poor and miserable, Florencia could not even think of going to any other country to get an artificial
limb.
Till Mozambique’s Alternative Mine Action (ATM)’s Advertio Ismael and a US-based NGO Help
One Walk (HOW) came to her aid and took on the challenge of rehabilitating her.
The two NGOs officials John Mullen and Douglas Bowman with the help of a US universityCalifornia Polytechnic University approached the BMVSS with the case of Florencia.
Founder and chief patron of the BMVSS, D R. Mehta examined the case and found that she could be
fitted with Jaipur Foot.
Mehta told the HOW officials to send Florencia to Jaipur and assured free fitment of the artificial leg.
Dr Pooja Mukul, who heads the prosthetic section of the Jaipur Foot took Florencia under her care
and the technicians worked out the prosthetic for her.
Florencia came to Jaipur three days ago and today she was provided with a limb. Her two above knee
limbs have been developed by Stanford University and was adjudged as the 50 best innovations by
Time magazine.
Ecstatic, Florencia has started walking again from today. Obviously towards a better future!