By Esther Onyegbula
For most of his life, 13-year-old Michael Alagba has lived with the weight of expectations, none of which came from him.
Born with a congenital condition that led to the amputation of both limbs, Michael has grown up in a society where disability is often equated with inability. He’s been told, time and again, what he would never do: write, sing, live independently. Yet, every day, Michael proves that the real limitation lies not in the body, but in the mind.
On April 12, Michael will take to the streets for a two-kilometer walk. It’s not just about the distance, it’s about defying decades of stereotypes. The walk, part of The IREDE Foundation’s Out on a Limb campaign, is now in its ninth year. It brings together children living with limb loss, families, and allies, to demand a society that sees potential where others see pity.
Michael is not walking alone. But his presence at the front of the line matters. At 13, he represents a new generation of children living with disabilities who are rewriting the narrative around what they can achieve.
‘I dream of becoming a teacher’
“I’ve heard people say I won’t be able to do certain things all my life. But I write. I sing. I take care of myself. I dream of becoming a teacher,” Michael explained.
The walk is also symbolic of a larger goal. The IREDE Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting children with limb loss, plans to provide 200 children with prosthetic limbs this year. But the numbers tell only part of the story.
At its core, the campaign is about visibility and voice, ensuring that children like Michael are seen, heard, and taken seriously.
Crystal Chigbu, Founder of the foundation, says the annual walk is as much about advocacy as it is about access. “People tend to focus on what children living with disabilities can’t do,” she says. “We want to shift that attention to what they are doing, and what they could do if given the same opportunities.”
Michael’s story is a quiet challenge to the status quo.
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