Behind the scenes of the humanitarian effort of the Jaipur Foot Limb-Fitment Camp at the Divali Nagar site in Chaguanas stands one woman, Ms. Indra Roopnarine, whose determination helped bridge the gap between Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of India, making the project a reality.
Her mission hits close to home, as she says diabetes continues to affect thousands of citizens each year, leading to hundreds of amputations.
Through her organisation, “Touching a Life Foundation for Kids,” Ms. Roopnarine spent over a year and a half collecting data on amputees across the country — data that ultimately made the case for India’s support.
“High Commissioner and myself, we had a little conversation one day and he told me he’s looking to gather data to see how many persons in Trinidad and Tobago would require a limb after being a diabetic and after amputation.”
It was a challenge that Ms. Roopnarine said she was more than willing to accept.
“Originally, I collected about 530 names. I networked with several clinics and even patients who are in clinics throughout the country. I just kept on going for about a year and a half and I was able to collect the data and put it. I did it in a spreadsheet so that High Commissioner could take it to India and he can actually prove his case to be right that in Trinidad we need quite a bit of limbs.”
Today, that data has translated into tangible impact, as over 400 citizens have already received artificial limbs free of charge.
But for Ms. Roopnarine, the numbers tell a deeper story.
“What we are realising though, and this is something that we need to really take particular interest about, is that there seems to be a lot of young people that are coming up for a limb. When you ask them and while screening, we ask, well, exactly what it is, why did this happen? So, you know, one would think it would be an accident or something like that. Strangely, it is because they are diabetic. So, so many, at least about 80% of the cases, are diabetics.”
She believes that these figures should serve as a wake-up call for the nation, especially as diabetes continues to affect younger populations.
“I mean, yes, we do talk about it in clinics, right, but who are the people who are actually driving this whole thing to ensure? Because when you come up to a clinic and then the next thing you hear, you are going to be amputated for the next week. Obviously, the message is not going in the right place and it has not been taken into consideration by the patients themselves.”
Her passion for the cause, however, extends beyond advocacy. For Ms. Roopnarine, this partnership between Trinidad and Tobago and India represents a chance to change lives, restore dignity, and offer hope to those who have lost so much.
“It’s a phenomenal feeling to know, actually, I feel it is out of my reach and I consider it to be a divine intervention. And it has been one of my cries, my plea, that I want to do something that is so important to others, that we can actually put back smiles on faces and give them a life that they never had before.”
The Jaipur Foot Limb-Fitment Camp continues at the Divali Nagar site, with plans now in motion to make it a permanent facility in Siparia.