Oklahoma Nonprofit Helps 15-Year-Old Amputee

West Africa is one of the poorest regions in the world. But a young man from there is making an impact in Oklahoma.

Fidele Shep,15, is a left leg amputee from West Africa’s Ivory Coast. Norman-based “1040 Initiative” is an organization that conducts humanitarian missions each year to villages on the Ivory Coast. 1040 Initiative Director Mike Cousineau says they help hundreds of people in that part of the world each year.

Last week, with the help of Oklahoma City-based Martin Bionics, doctors in North Carolina were able to fit Shep with a new permanent left prosthetic leg. 

“To see people gain mobility, and the smile on their face is priceless,” said Cousineau.

He said helping Fidele Shep was especially gratifying, because his organization has known about the kid for years. 

Shep, like a lot of children in West Africa, was forced to work in the fields at a very young age.  He developed leg infections, and 1040 Initiative doctors had to amputate his left leg five years ago to save his life. But because he was no longer able to work in the fields, his family shunned him. 

Shep has been in Norman for a few days visiting. Thursday, he stopped by Norman High School.  Seven months ago, students there sent 300 care packages to his native village.

Shep has also been visiting other local high schools, and plans to attend OU’s football game Saturday, before heading back to his native country. But he won’t be living with family there.  Instead, he will be living with a local pastor and going to school.