When we talk about success, we often think of financial milestones, climbing the career ladder or personal achievements. But for thousands of people in South America living with limb loss, success looks very different. For them, it is the ability to walk again, to return to work, to play with their children or even to simply live with dignity.
That’s where the Range of Motion Project (ROMP) comes in. Since 2005, this nonprofit has been rewriting what’s possible for underserved amputees in Latin America and, in the process, redefining what it means to create impact.
Mobility is more than movement
ROMP’s philosophy is simple but profound, where mobility equals empowerment. And movement doesn’t just mean moving from point A to point B; it means freedom. Freedom to participate in life, to chase dreams, and to take control of the future.
“ROMP is a nonprofit organization working to make immobility a thing of the past,” says Jonathan Naber, the nonprofit’s Executive Director. “Our mission is to ensure access to high-quality prosthetic care for underserved people, improving their mobility and independence. Our locally staffed clinics in Guatemala and Ecuador provide life-changing care and rehabilitation to hundreds of patients each year.”
The organization has already delivered more than 6,000 prostheses, logged nearly 20,000 patient visits, and developed innovative community-based rehabilitation programs. “The moments that most stand out to me include opening our clinics in Guatemala and Ecuador, launching our Community-Based Rehabilitation Program, and beginning to use microprocessor (computerized) knees with patients,” says Naber.
Every prosthetic ROMP fits represents more than a device. It’s a second chance at life and a return to independence. And behind every number is a story. “We have seen thousands of patients over the years, each of whom have their own story of loss, determination, and achievement,” Naber explains. One such success story is about Cristóbal, who was referred to ROMP after losing his leg at the hip due to cancer. “He was wheelchair-bound and emotionally shut off from the world. He received prosthetic care at ROMP, and today he is a happy teenager who plays soccer and wants to be a doctor. The transformation is incredible, and it happens every day at ROMP,” beams Naber.
Tackling barriers
In countries like Ecuador, challenges for amputees go far beyond access to a prosthetic limb. “The few clinics that provide care are often expensive and do not provide the full range of services a patient needs,” says Naber. “Without care, people with amputation cannot walk, and they struggle with the mental, economic, and social impacts of their immobility.” ROMP addresses these barriers through mobile clinics and local outreach to remote parts of these countries in order to reduce the geographic barrier patients face to receiving care. Their community health workers, or mobilizers as they are called, visit the most vulnerable patients in their homes before and after they receive their prostheses, helping improve their mental health, physical mobility and livelihood.
Education and awareness are equally important. “One of the biggest barriers people with disabilities face is simply knowing where they can get help,” Naber notes. “In both Guatemala and Ecuador, we are deeply involved in empowering people on a community level to identify disabling conditions—amputation as well as others—and referring people to the services they need.” This is part of ROMP’s approach to not only provide services, but develop the rehabilitation systems for more holistic care.
Innovation through recycling
One of ROMP’s most creative programs is Components for a Cause (C4C), which works to give already existing prosthetic parts a second life. Components that might otherwise sit in storage or go to waste in the U.S. are shipped to ROMP’s clinics, to be refurbished and fitted to patients in need.
“Around 95% of the prosthetic components our clinics use—like feet, knees, and liners—are recycled in high-income markets,” Naber notes. “Clinics and individuals donate new and gently used items and we sort, clean, check, and export them to our Guatemala and Ecuador operations. We tag each item with a QR code and inform the donor when it is deployed with a patient.”
This circular economy of prosthetics means donors can see first-hand the direct impact of their contributions, and patients gain access to world-class technology that might otherwise have been out of reach, a win-win for all.
Measuring success
But for ROMP, success isn’t just about numbers. “Our patients are multifaceted people, and our definition of success goes far beyond simply delivering their prosthesis,” says Naber. “We measure our patients’ physical mobility, mental health, and productive activities, and we target their needs in these different areas through our wide-ranging clinical and community-based services.”
As patients regain independence, a ripple effect begins to take place. Families stabilize and communities benefit from increased productivity and mentorship. Receiving prosthetic rehabilitation helps a person with amputation to be physically mobile again. They can stand, walk, and move, which allows them to return to work, support their family, and contribute to their community. Many patients then become peer mentors to other patients, sharing their lived experience of amputation.
Partnerships and impact
ROMP’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Outdoor gear company Cotopaxi, known for its commitment to impact-driven initiatives, has been a key partner in expanding the nonprofit’s reach. “Our partnership with ROMP began in 2020, when we were looking for organizations addressing critical gaps in healthcare access in Latin America,” says Charlie Clark, Director of Philanthropy at the company. “We were drawn to ROMP because of their deep roots in Ecuador, their trusted relationships with local and federal governments, and their collaborative approach with medical practitioners on the ground.” Over the years, this has grown into something that goes far beyond funding as these two allies work toward amplifying their impact and sharing their story with a broader audience.
For the brand, this mission strikes at the heart of their values. “At Cotopaxi, we believe poverty alleviation and health equity are deeply connected,” Clark adds. “Lack of access to quality healthcare is one of the strongest indicators of poverty, and limb loss is a significant and often overlooked barrier to economic mobility and wellbeing.” Clark also notes that Ecuador has a disproportionately high number of people living with limb loss, often due to infrastructure challenges and limited access to prosthetic care. Hence, ROMP’s model of combining technical expertise, local partnerships, and holistic rehabilitation, is both highly effective and deeply human.
This partnership underscores how mobility is not only a matter of individual transformation but also a collective responsibility. By bringing together nonprofits, corporate partners and communities, ROMP is creating change that extends far beyond a single prosthetic.
Looking ahead
ROMP’s ambitions are as bold as the impact it is already making. After 20 years in Guatemala and Ecuador, ROMP is looking to expand globally using a partnership model. The strategy for the next three years includes meeting the demand in Guatemala and Ecuador and sharing their Mobility Toolkit model with the rest of the world to make immobility a thing of the past. To that end, Naber calls upon anyone who wants to play a role to make a one-time donation or become a Monthly Mobility Member to their mission.
The vision is indeed bold: a world where mobility is not a privilege for the wealthy but a universally recognized right irrespective of economic status or geographic proximity. Or, as Naber puts it: “We don’t just build prosthetics. We build futures.”
Photo courtesy of Karthika Gupta
