KNOWLEDGE FOR A BETTER LIFE

WE TRAIN REHABILITATION PROFESSIONALS

BECAUSE ACCESS TO REHABILITATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT

Human Study is a humanitarian NGO. We run a global school of Rehabilitation Sciences.

We train Prosthetist/Orthotists: rehabilitation specialists who make and fit prosthetic limbs and orthotic braces. As a result of our work, people who have been disabled by war, poverty or disease have the chance to walk again, work again, go to school again, play and socialize again: to live again.

We do things differently.

Unlike most schools, our students don’t come to us. Because they can’t. We take our training to our students. Wherever there is a need.

Anissa Gaid with above-knee prosthetic user in parallel bars

INNOVATION. EDUCATION.

We have developed a unique, innovative blended learning program for countries where there is an urgent need, low capacity and lack of infrastructure.

We deliver our training in war zones, where people are losing limbs to landmines, bombs and bullets. In areas recovering from disasters, whether natural or man-made. In low income countries, where lack of healthcare leaves people with disabilities vulnerable to disease and trapped in the cycle of poverty.

Wherever there is a need, Human Study is ready to respond: educating the technicians and rehabilitation specialists and training the trainers, to internationally accredited standards. Building the foundation for sustainable, locally-run rehabilitation services. Enabling people with disability to get mobile, so they can live healthy, active, independent lives.

PEOPLE WHO NEED PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS IN COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY CONFLICT & POVERTY

1 in 10: THE CHALLENGE.

Worldwide, there are an estimated 40 million people with disabilities who need prosthetic and orthotic services. 30 million of these people – including 10 million children – live in countries affected by conflict and poverty.

People who use prosthetics and orthotics include amputees who have lost limbs as a result of conflict, accidents, disasters or disease; people born with missing limbs; and people who need support as a result of injury, aging, or conditions such as scoliosis, polio and cerebral palsy.

These figures are set to rise, due to our aging population, the prevalence of diseases such as diabetes, and the increasing number of conflicts in the world. Ukraine, for example, is now the most landmine-polluted country on Earth.

Today in the Global South, only 1 in 10 people with disabilities has access to the prosthetic and orthotic services they need.

THE CYCLE OF POVERTY

In the low income and conflict-affected countries where we work, there are many barriers preventing people from accessing rehabilitation services, including lack of trained personnel, lack of facilities and lack of awareness. 

The result: people with disabilities are isolated, stigmatized and dependent. Unable to access their fundamental rights to education, employment and healthcare. Unable to participate in family and community life. Trapped in the cycle of poverty.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

We focus on one of the key issues facing people with disabilities who need prosthetics and orthotics:
the lack of trained rehabilitation specialists. 
There are many challenges to delivering P&O training in countries affected by conflict and poverty. 
We designed our innovative blended learning program to break down these barriers:

War, Poverty

Students cannot leave their home countries to study overseas.
We take the training to the students, so they can stay in their jobs, support their families and continue providing services to people with disabilities.

Language

P&O training materials are in English; students lack English skills.
We translate training materials into local languages. These translated materials are a valuable resource to speed up P&O training. 

EDUCATION

Varying education levels of Prosthetics & Orthotics students.
We offer courses at all levels, including entry level. We can even develop pre-entry courses where needed!

Capacity

Lack of local teachers, reliance on expatriate expertise.
We train the trainers, building local capacity to levels accredited by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics.

WE HAVE TRAINED...

In

0

countries

274

Rehabilitation professionals
Our graduates can make and fit

27,400

limbs / braces per year

42

P&O Teachers in our Train the Trainer program

332

Rehabilitation professionals through our SCOPe program

WHERE WE WORK

NEWS

Anareme Kpandressi and Christian Schlierf signing the Memorandum of Understanding between ENAM and Human Study

Togo, March 2024: Anarème Kpandressi from Ecole Nationale des Auxiliaires Médicaux (ENAM) and Human Study’s Chris Schlierf sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Anarem is a former Bachelor’s degree graduate of Human Study and we are delighted to be working together to develop P&O training in Togo.

a student showing thumbs up with his model patient in upper limb prosthesis smiling at the camera and holding a plastic bottle with the prosthesis

Ukraine, June 2024: we held an onsite practical training workshop in upper limb prosthetics as part of our educational program for Ukrainian rehabilitation professionals, funded by GIZ. This cohort is one of four that we are currently training in Ukraine, covering lower limb prosthetics and general training for newcomers to the P&O field. 

Human Study trainer talking to a student at a workshop training session

Sierra Leone, May 2024: we delivered a practical workshop for the country’s first cohort of prosthetics and orthotics students training to international (ISPO) standards. Together with our partner MIT, we are developing P&O capacities to improve access to rehabilitation services all over the country, including training one trainer to Bachelor’s degree level with our cohort in Ghana.