February 15, 2014
IOM Iraq, SwissLeg, and the Università della Svizzera italiana were proud sponsors of the Palestinian Children’s relief Fund (PCRF) "Climb of Hope." Two amputee teenagers reached the summit of the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, on Jan, 23, 2014. Their climb was designed to raise awareness of the needs of children in Palestine and Syria.
SwissLeg produced the above knee prosthesis for one of the young climbers, 17 year old Yasmeen Najjar. Yasmeen, from Boreen village near Nablus, lost a leg when she was 3 years old.
“I want to show other kids like me that they can do anything that they put their minds to. There is no obstacle too great or mountain too high that you cannot overcome if you put your mind to it."
“I’m very happy and proud that thanks to IOM Iraq, SwissLeg and the University of Lugano (USI), where SwissLeg was born, we were able to contribute to this climb toward a future enlightened by hope,” says MASHLM director Paulo Gonçalves. “Offering amputees the ability to walk again is remarkable. Offering them the opportunity to leap to the top of Kilimajaro is hard to describe. When you see young people like Mohammad, Mutasem or Yasmeen get back on their feet, you realize that just one little step can make the difference and ignite the hope of a better world. And when you see them climb Kilimanjaro, you realize that hope and strength can make the impossible possible and that you can get to the most unexpected heights.”
