2021 Walk

INTRODUCTION:
2021 was a fantastic year for the Feet of Grace foundation in so many ways. It was a year of consolidating the achievements made and a lesson learnt from 2020.
The Board of Trustees of the Feet of Grace Foundation is profoundly grateful for your support and generous donations for the Foundation’s activities in 2021.
As our usual practice, the year began with the screening and selection of amputees proposed for support in 2021. The exercise was held in Lagos for those who could be physically present and online for those too far away.
The selection process, held in January, was followed immediately by intense preparations for the Annual Feet of Grace Foundation Charity Walk tagged Hit The Street 2021. This event flags off the Foundation’s fundraising efforts each year.
Because of your continued generosity, we made a difference, thirty (30) beneficiaries in 2021. Thank you for making 2021 a remarkable year for the Feet of Grace Foundation.
 
FUNDRAISING
With the continued COVID restrictions, we encouraged our friends to gather in small groups and socially distanced format to walk for a great cause. We used the purple T-shirts from the previous year and older versions. The Annual Feet of Grace Foundation Charity Walk began in different countries on April 14th, 2021, while other cities did theirs until May.
Despite all that was happening worldwide, the global support for the walk so that amputees could walk again was encouraging. Twenty-three groups walked in six countries. Kenya, Zimbabwe, United Kingdom (5 groups), USA (3 groups), Nigeria (8 groups), and Switzerland (5 groups). The young and older people walked, from toddlers to geriatrics, and no one was excluded.
We encouraged our friends not only to WALK but all to do the WORK of raising funds on behalf of the amputees waiting in hope for limbs and more.
The target of funds raised in 2021 was a lofty goal to provide prosthetic limbs for 12 amputees. However, with two bilateral amputees on the list, it became apparent that we would need more funds to provide 14 limbs for 12 amputees. We concluded the year providing 15 prosthetic limbs to 13 amputees, with one process initiated but uncompleted at the end of 2021.
The number of limbs given to amputees in 2021 exceeded the previous years.
The total funds raised in 2021 is as indicated in the table below. There was a significant increase in the total amount raised in Naira and foreign currencies compared to the previous year. Also, there was an increase in the number of donors during this reporting year.
Corporate and Institutional donors such as Grooming Centre, Falcon Corporation, Church For The Nation and Rehoboth Dream Support Foundation remained consistent in their support of the Feet of Grace Foundation despite the challenging terrain post-Covid. Grace and Mercy Household Initiative and Barnabas Widows Empowerment Foundation joined us as Institutional Donors.

Total Donations In 2021 
CHF – 20,908.87
USD – 4920.00
EURO – 0.00
GBP – 0.00
NAIRA – 22,153,495.00

Corporate Donors
Grooming Center for Better Livelihood, Lagos Nigeria
Falcon Corporation Limited. Lagos Nigeria
Institutional Donors (Churches and NGOs)
Church for the Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Grace and Mercy Household Initiative, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation, Lagos Nigeria
Barnabas Widows Empowerment Foundation, Lagos, Nigeria.
 
Partners
The Irede Foundation
 
Walk Coordinators:
Feet of Grace Association Geneva Switzerland
Stella Ekogbulu, Zurich, Switzerland
Bidemi Mark-Mordi, Lagos Nigeria
Babafunke Fagbemi, Abuja, Nigeria
Akindotun Merino, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA
Veronica Adoun, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
Omolade Apio, Wallington UK
Yinka Ogunyinka, Kent UK
Elizabeth Juma, Nairobi Kenya
Ladies Steps, Erith UK
Brenda Okech, Kampala Uganda
 
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
In January 2021, we selected 12 amputees from several applications received for support in 2021 based on the funds we believed we could raise in 2021. We provided various forms of support for 30 beneficiaries by the end of the year, including prosthetic limbs, educational scholarship, repairs and seed funds for poverty alleviation activities.
 
Prosthetic Rehabilitation:
Suliat, Rashidat, Olamide, Ukoma, Mary, Kemi, Mrs Olasunbo, Helen, Grace, Lizzy and Ajani have reasons to smile and be independent again after all challenges and limitations. Ten women and young ladies completed their rehabilitation and received their first prosthetic limbs from the Foundation. Mrs Quadri, who got a wheelchair and COVID relief funds in 2020, started her prosthetic rehabilitation process. Learning to walk again took her much longer than anticipated.
Two beneficiaries, Olamide and Lizzy, who needed replacements for their outgrown and worn-out limbs, also completed their rehabilitation.
Mrs Gbonjubola came on board later in the year with a desperate cry for help. She and her children had paid 50% of the cost of her prosthetics. The prosthetist refused to release the leg because she could not raise the balance. We came to her rescue.
We had to defer Christina’s rehabilitation to 2022 when her father refused to allow her to travel to Enugu after we made the payment despite many appeals.
Repairs and Maintenance:
We not only provide limbs but also facilitate the maintenance and repairs of prosthetic limbs. Bisola, Ronke, Adenike, Oluwatosin, Nneoma, Catherine, Yetunde and Naomi had their limbs repaired. Yetunde, a 46-year-old woman who has been an amputee for 24 years, still mentors Adenike and encourages her to see life beyond amputation.
Educational Support:
Chidiebere, Timilehin, Amaka, Shedrack and Esther received scholarships from our partners, the Rehoboth Dream Solid Foundation, for in-class tutoring in 2020. This year, we are happy to announce that we now have Emmanuel on the list of students, which makes it six children who are back to school.
Socio-Economic and Entrepreneurial Empowerment:
Elizabeth, Quin, Suliat, Rashidat, Foluso, and Olasunbo received seed funds for poverty alleviation activities. Two started new income-generating activities, while three expanded their small-scale businesses. These include wholesale soft drinks, foodstuff, and groceries.
 
APPRECIATION:
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees expresses our sincere appreciation to all the donors who supported us in making the dream of walking again come true for Thirteen amputees in 2021. You truly make a difference for us. We are incredibly grateful. We could not have done it without you!