SHAYANDIMA- A Samaritan from the United States of America recently helped a cripple boy from the rural area of Hamasia in Venda "to get on his feet," by providing him with an artificial limb.

Gudani Ligege (11), a Grade 5 learner at the cripple section of Tshilidzini Special School, was born with an underdeveloped left leg. It was extremely difficult for him to walk long distances, because he was using crutches.

The boy's problem touched the heart of a prosthetist, Mr Paul Cakagno from Charleston, South Carolina, in the USA. He visited the school a year ago and decided to work on a special artificial limb for Gudani.

After seeing that the young boy was suffering and not getting a proper artificial limb, due to a lack of money, he planned to come back this year to South Africa to help the boy.

He came back and surprised the boy with a new artificial leg. After he had fitted the new limb, Gudani, the school children and management were excited about the gift. "I'm very happy because I'm walking and running like others. This is amazing for me; I believe I can walk several kilometres with this new leg. I used to cry when I saw that some people received artificial limbs. It is true that I was suffering a lot, but a Samaritan did this for me," said a joyful Gudani.

Cakagno told Mirror that he was very happy because he could help poor children through physical examinations and artificial limbs. He also stated that this was the second year that he visited the special school through the partnership with the School of Tomorrow.

The principal of the Tshilidzini Special School, Mr Mbulaheni Maluma, said that the school management was jubilant about the assistance.