July 13, 2020
In 2010, Nanag an Maryani rode their motorbike to the market with their son Refan wrapped tightly in a sarong against his mother’s chest - as is common in Indonesia and throughout the developing world.
Their bike suddenly crashed and Nanag’s sarong was caught in the rear wheel. Shocked, Nanag and Maryani quickly realized that their 16-month old son’s leg was detached from his body.
With the help of bystanders to keep pressure on the wound and a kind stranger to drive them to the nearest hospital, Refan was still alive, though in critical condition, when he arrived. The hospital was not equipped to attempt a reattachment surgery and Refan was in too delicate of a condition to handle the 167 mile transport to reach a hospital that was. Through diligent care, Refan survived the crash, but nonetheless, was left without his lower right leg.
Fast forward to 2014. Refan’s mother and father made a combined $3 a day and were unable to afford even one prosthetic device for him to become independently mobile - let alone the 2-3 each year he would need he continued to grow.
But in the summer of 2014, we met Refan and provided him with his first, free high-quality prosthetic limb and committed to covering his care as he grows. Since that summer, Refan has has received more than a dozen prosthetics - and still counting.
We can hardly believe it -- but somehow four year old Refan is now 12. Refan bikes to school everyday (5 kilometers!) swims in the local river any chance he can, and prefers life barefoot.
We are committed to providing all of our CoolKids like Refan treatment through the age of 21 to ensure that they have the opportunity to go to school, gain self-esteem, attend vocational and job trainings, enter university, and ultimately find gainful employment as an adult...
...that’s Growing Up ALTSO.
