New investment helps children get innovative prosthetics as explosive weapons kill unprecedented numbers globally

LONDON/GENEVA, 19 January 2026 – Children injured in crisis and conflict zones will benefit from a new Save the Children investment in innovative prosthetics that can be fitted in a day at a time when explosive weapons are killing and maiming children on a scale never seen before, Save the Children said.  

Explosive weapons were responsible for a record 70% of nearly 12,000 children killed or injured in conflict zones in 2024, according to a Save the Children report. [1] 
This compares to an average of over 60% of child casualties from 2020-2024 and signals a shift in how children are being impacted as conflicts increasingly move into cities, with a record number of 520 million children living in active conflict zones in 2024—or over one in five globally. 

Save the Children Global Ventures (SCGV), the innovative finance arm of the child rights organisation, has invested US$600,000 in UK-based Amparo Prosthetics, helping to increase support for children who have lost limbs. 

Amparo works in a list of locations where they give children and adults lower-limb prosthetics that can be moulded and fitted on the same day using mobile equipment. Traditional prosthetics often require multiple visits to clinics over weeks or months, which can be challenging for children, especially in conflict-affected areas.  

The company has successfully introduced the first direct-fit paediatric socket. All Amparo sockets can be remoulded and refitted up to five times, meaning that they can be easily adjusted as children grow and reduce the need for new sockets for their prosthetics.  

Paul Ronalds, CEO, Save the Children Global Ventures, said:  

"Every child deserves the chance to move, play and live with dignity, no matter what their circumstances. Amparo’s technology gives children who have lost a limb that opportunity, often on the same day they are fitted.  

“Our investment will help bring this life-changing support to more children in crisis and conflict zones." 

The investment is just one of the projects that Save the Children is involved with to improve healthcare for children impacted by explosive devices. 
Children are far more vulnerable to explosive weapons than adults as their smaller bodies and developing organs can mean that even a single blast can cause catastrophic injuries or death. 

In another project Save the Children UK and Imperial College London, together with other international partners, have established the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership — bringing together medical specialists, humanitarians, and academics to improve outcomes for children injured by explosive weapons.  

The Partnership’s Paediatric Blast Injury Field Manual arising from this collaboration — the first of its kind which helps medics in conflict zones treat children with blast injuries — has been translated into nine languages and is now used in 12 conflict zones including Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan.  

In 2023, the Centre for Paediatric Blast Injury Studies was launched at Imperial College London to strengthen global expertise, including improving research and care for affected children.  

Federico Carpinteiro, CEO, Amparo Prosthetics, said:  

“Save the Children’s investment and global humanitarian reach will help us move our vision forward and deliver prosthetic care in places where it’s needed most.”  

Since its founding in 2014, Amparo sockets have been fitted to over 5,000 amputees across 55 countries, in settings ranging from high-income, clinical environments to low-resource and conflict settings through partnerships with humanitarian organisations. 
 

ENDS 
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Notes to Editors:  
[1] https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/children-and-blast-injuries-the-devastating-impact-of-explosive-weapons-on-children-2020-2025  
AMPARO PROSTHETICS https://amparo-prosthetics.com/

 
Amparo Prosthetics is a U.K.-based medical device company that designs, manufactures and distributes innovative prosthetic sockets for lower-limb amputees. Founded in 2014, Amparo operates manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Portugal, with distribution partners across six continents. The company's mission is to democratize access to high-quality prosthetic care, particularly in low-resource, humanitarian, and conflict-affected settings. 
 

SAVE THE CHILDREN GLOBAL VENTURES (SCGV) https://scgv.org/

 
Established in 2023 by Save the Children, the world’s first and leading independent children’s organisation. Save the Children Global Ventures (SCGV) is a child-centred innovative finance team that identifies and scales social enterprises, delivering health, education, protection and unique opportunities for vulnerable children. Based in Switzerland, SCGV combines financial returns with measurable impact, investing in early-stage enterprises with the potential to improve children's lives at scale.