Legacy futures

The global demand for qualified prosthetists and orthotics experts has surged in recent years, creating a significant shortage in the workforce to meet the growing needs of individuals with limb differences. 

Ukraine faces a critical shortage of qualified prosthetists, with an estimated 400,000 individuals living with limb loss. Urgent action is needed to enhance education, training, and support, bridging the gap and ensuring access to quality prosthetic and orthotic care not only in Ukraine but also in conflict zones globally.

Legacy of War Foundation has welcomed its first cohort of 12 Ukrainians with disabilities to train as prosthetic and orthotic technicians.

The innovative Futures program builds on LoWF’s model of developing capacity in conflict and post-conflict settings to ensure communities affected by armed violence can access the services they need long into the future. 

LoWF has fully funded the program which will train newcomers to the profession to technician level, and also incorporates additional support to students (including counselling and travel grants for exams) to set them up for success in their employment. Training will be delivered through a blended learning model by Human Study who have been providing ISPO-certified training to prosthetic & orthotic professionals in Ukraine since 2017 and previously partnered with LoWF to train Syrian prosthetists. This model means that cohorts can bring together students from across a wide geographic area for classes delivered through an online platform, while gaining practical knowledge from experienced professionals in their home centres.

Joining the local cohort for online classes are 3 additional students: two Ukrainian nurses who will support service delivery at a new prosthetics clinic in Dnipropetrovsk region, and a young Gazan woman now based in Cairo who lost her leg due to complications from an airstrike injury and who has aspired to work in the P&O sector after seeing the impact of good care on her own life. “Being an amputee,” she explained, “gives me a unique ability to understand their pain, their fears and their daily challenges.”

By 2030, Legacy Futures scholars will be providing rehabilitation to over a million people affected by conflict around the world.

“The most important support in my recovery came from my peers, who taught me to believe anything was possible. In my years documenting the war in Ukraine I have witnessed the resilience and strength of community amongst those with lasting injuries.

That’s why in 2025 we launched our Futures program here: training people with lived experience of disability as skilled rehabilitation professionals, to provide lifelong careers and build in-country medical capacity.”

Giles Duley

would you like to support the project?

Join us as a partner, donor or volunteer.

With the World Health Organization estimating the potential to meet 15% of Ukraine's P&O needs and offer lifelong employment for the entire cohort, your support is pivotal in making this vision a reality.

By partnering with local organizations and leading the recruitment charge, Legacy of War Foundation aims to create a gender-balanced team, reflecting the strength found in diversity.

Your contribution will not only support this cohort but also sustainably impact the lives of over 55,000 Ukrainians, fostering a sense of purpose and dignity. 

Join us as we bridge the gap in P&O services and provide invaluable employment opportunities, turning scars into symbols of resilience and expertise.

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