Joining Forces for Mobility in Venezuela.
On June 24, Venezuela faced an unprecedented tragedy. Today, the impact extends beyond the initial rescue efforts: hundreds of people are facing amputations due to crush injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe traumatic brain injuries that require immediate care.
In response to this emergency, the CIREC Foundation is joining forces with the Juan Pablo Dos Santos Foundation and the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital Foundation of Venezuela to jointly launch the “Humanitarian Fund 77”. Our goal is not only to provide prosthetics, but also to build a sustainable model of assistance over time. We are committed to performing orthopedic stump remodeling surgeries, providing comprehensive rehabilitation, and fitting and delivering prosthetics, orthotics, and specialized wheelchairs, while ensuring ongoing follow-up so that those in need can rebuild their future and maintain their independence.
The CIREC Foundation is launching this fund with a seed contribution of $277,000 dollars, equivalent to 1,000 million Colombian pesos, to assist as many people as possible who have undergone amputations, have spinal cord injuries, or have suffered severe traumatic brain injuries.
This initial financial effort, made possible by surplus funds from the CIREC Foundation, makes it possible to partially meet the needs of the population in Venezuela affected by the two earthquakes.
Goal
USD 2,000,000
Donation to the CIREC Foundation
The first step toward rebuilding hope.
Additional Revenue from Donations
Thank you to every person, company, and organization that is already part of this cause.
The need is much greater than the initial contribution made by the CIREC Foundation, which is why we want to join forces with compassionate citizens, companies, and international aid organizations that want to get involved in order to provide widespread assistance that restores mobility, independence, and hope.
Every donation counts it restores mobility and heals lives.
We're here to help you
We're here to help you if the earthquake left you with a physical disability or if you already had one and you need prosthetics, orthotics, wheelchairs, or other assistive devices.
Who are the people behind this cause?
The CIREC Foundation is a Colombian nonprofit scientific organization with 50 years of experience in the comprehensive habilitation and rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities, victims of armed conflict, and their families. Having responded to humanitarian emergencies such as the Armero disaster and the Armenia earthquake, it now leads the Humanitarian Fund 77 to put its medical, technical, and humanitarian expertise at the service of Venezuela and support those who need to regain mobility, independence, and hope.
The Juan Pablo Dos Santos Foundation of Venezuela was born out of the inspiring story of its founder, whose life changed dramatically after an accident that resulted in the amputation of both his legs. After facing the challenges of this new reality—and thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor who made it possible for him to obtain prosthetics—Juan Pablo was able to regain his mobility. Convinced that no one should have to face such limitations without the necessary resources, he decided to create this organization with the goal of providing comprehensive support to people with physical disabilities.
The Venezuelan Children’s Orthopedic Hospital Foundation is a nonprofit institution and a national leader in orthopedics and rehabilitation, with a history of more than 80 years serving the Venezuelan people. As part of the Humanitarian Fund 77, its experience, infrastructure, and human resources will be essential to strengthening care for those affected by the earthquake, helping to expand response capacity and build capabilities that will endure beyond the emergency.
Also joining this initiative are avianca, Fundación Procura, Ortopédica Ortoprotécnica C.A., the Ugani Foundation of Belgium and the Taller de Aprendizaje para las Artes y la Paz.
Let's talk about a partnership that makes a difference.
How can I get involved in this Social Impact Initiative?
The scale of this emergency calls for a collective effort. The CIREC Foundation is providing the seed capital to launch this mission, and now we want to multiply it by 7 with the support of citizens, businesses, organizations, and international donors.
Our goal is to raise $2 million dollars, equivalent to $7 billion Colombian pesos, to perform orthopedic stump reconstruction surgeries, provide comprehensive rehabilitation, prostheses, orthoses, and assistive devices to as many people with physical disabilities affected by the earthquakes as possible, and strengthen the capacity of the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital of Venezuela.
Project Objectives
1. Provide large-scale care to people with disabilities affected by the two earthquakes through: inpatient care, stump revision surgery, and the fitting and delivery of assistive devices.
2. Transfer scientific, therapeutic and technical knowledge from CIREC for high-complexity care.
3. Achieve the major goal of creating a High-Complexity Rehabilitation Centre for beneficiaries with physical disabilities.
Project Phases
*Select and interact
Identification and Characterization
Definition of Care Pathway
Medical, Therapeutic, and Technical Assessment
Pre-prosthetic Rehabilitation
Importation of Assistive Devices
Fitting and training
Installed capacity and technology
Your solidarity lets a life move forward again
Every donation can become a prosthesis, an orthosis, a wheelchair or specialised care, so that every Venezuelan who needs to stand up again finds the help they need.
Our Progress with Transparency
We will share the key developments of this mission through videos and reports that show how each donation translates into aid for those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela.
Impact Reports
See how the initiatives of the Humanitarian Fund 77 are progressing month by month. Here you'll find reports detailing the key results, how resources are being used, and the impact achieved thanks to each donation.
Frequently Asked Questions
We want you to donate with complete confidence. Here you'll find answers to the most common questions about the campaign, how funds are used, and the impact of donations.
Why is it called Humanitarian Fund 77: Faith Without Borders?
In our faith, the number 7 represents fulfillment and purpose; and in the Bible, “seventy times seven” speaks of mercy that never runs out. That is why, for us, 77 symbolizes a hope that must multiply and cross borders to become a source of strength for thousands of lives.
How much does a custom-made assistive device cost?
The costs of prosthetics, orthotics, and wheelchairs are not standardized, as they depend on each patient’s medical condition, level of amputation, and needs. In Venezuela, a prosthesis can cost approximately between $5,000 and $30,000, while a specialized, custom-made manual wheelchair can cost between $2,500 and $12,000. The CIREC Foundation’s goal is to help reduce these costs and facilitate access to rehabilitation and assistive devices.
What is the total cost of providing care for a beneficiary?
The cost will depend on each patient’s needs and the clinical pathway required. Some cases will require orthopedic stump remodeling surgery at the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital of Venezuela before beginning the prosthetic process. Care may also include pre-prosthetic rehabilitation, psychological support, device fabrication, training, and delivery of the prosthesis, orthosis, wheelchair, or other mobility aid.
How long will it take for the funds to reach the beneficiaries and for their rehabilitation to begin?
It is important to note that this process does not replace emergency care. Rehabilitation comes later, once the patient is stable and their body is ready to move forward. Today, there are still people in ICUs or recovering in hospitals across Venezuela, and each person must complete their healing process before beginning rehabilitation; therefore, it is difficult to specify a precise start date. Upon discharge from the hospital, the process will include pre-prosthetic rehabilitation, psychological support, the fabrication of the device, training, and the delivery of the prosthesis, orthosis, wheelchair, or other mobility aid. What we can confirm is that a comprehensive rehabilitation process takes approximately 2 to 6 months, depending on each patient’s clinical and therapeutic progress.
What will the funds raised be used for?
- Orthopedic stump remodeling surgeries in cases requiring correction or specialized management to facilitate an appropriate prosthetic fitting process.
- Purchase of components for the manufacture of prosthetics, orthotics, and specialized wheelchairs.
- Acquisition of technology to strengthen and modernize the production process for prosthetics and orthotics.
Who will manage the funds, and how do I know that my money is going toward the cause?
The CIREC Foundation will be responsible for receiving, managing, and disbursing the funds raised, ensuring that every contribution is directed toward assisting the beneficiaries. CIREC has experience in international cooperation projects and has worked with partners such as the U.S. Embassy’s INL, World Vision, Humanity & Inclusion, HALO Trust, SDC, UNMAS, ICRC, the Colombian Red Cross, and the Order of Malta, among others.
How can I request my donation certificate?
Donations in Colombia:
Donation certificates are issued in bulk once a year and can be downloaded from the CIREC website using the primary donor’s ID number. Certificates for donations made in 2026 will be available in February 2027 for use on the corresponding tax return. For additional questions, please email us at donaciones@cirec.org.
Donations in the United States:
Donations made through the international platform will generate a certificate that will be sent to the email address provided by the donor. In addition, donation information and certificates can be viewed from the donor’s profile. For further questions, please email us at donaciones@cirec.org.
The emergency in numbers
These figures reveal an urgent reality: thousands of people survived, but they still need medical care and assistive devices to regain mobility, dignity and hope.
People injured
Lives lost
Hospitals under severe strain
Percentage of people with crush-related amputation
Source: consolidated information from official reports and international agencies.
This is how help becomes hope
It is not just about delivering aid. It is about walking with each person on the path to moving again, regaining confidence and rebuilding their life. That is why we are there from the medical assessment through to rehabilitation, so that every form of help arrives with care, follow-up and dignity.
Assessment brigade
of people with physical disabilities, carried out by our doctors and specialists.
Device donation
mobility aids (walkers, crutches, canes, wheelchairs).
Knowledge transfer
technical training for health professionals supporting physical rehabilitation. (Entrénate Programme)
Prosthesis delivery
custom-made for the survivors identified during the assessment brigade.
Comprehensive support
in physical rehabilitation, to promote functional recovery and adaptation to using assistive devices.