Film
Building Second Chances
After Losing His Leg as a Child, Ram Bahadur Thapa Now Builds Prosthetic Limbs for Others, Giving Disabled Nepalis a Path Back to School, Work, and Independence.
As a boy, Ram Bahadur Thapa was told by doctors that nothing could be done when he lost his leg. Years later, after receiving a prosthetic leg, he made it his mission to help others get the same opportunity. Today, Ram builds prosthetic limbs for patients in Nepal, a country where key components for prosthetics like metal pylons, joints, and feet often have to be imported since local supply is scarce, and newer technologies like sensor legs and 3D-printed prosthetics remain largely out of reach. This is a story about resourcefulness – and one man determined to give others the same second chance.
Featuring: Ram Bahadur Thapa, Bishnu Prasad Acharya
Writer/ Director: Bishnu Prasad Acharya
Cinematography: Bishnu Prasad Acharya, Jyoti Belbase
Edit/ Post Production: Ashma Gautam
Mentors: Rajan Kathet, Sikuma Rai
Production Co-ordinators: Srijana Tabebung, Sushant Shrestha
Production Company: Salpa Films
Special Thanks: Orthopedic and National Disability Fund, Kupandole.
Access this film with audio descriptions. (Audio captions and editing by Sarah Mesdjian)
Filmmaker: Bishnu Prasad Acharya
Bishnu Prasad Acharya is a teacher, disability rights advocate, and community development practitioner from Rasuwa. For more than 25 years, he has worked in the fields of inclusive education, Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), disability rights, climate justice, environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and agri-tourism. As a person with a disability, he actively advocates for disability justice, inclusive development, and human rights. Passionate about storytelling and documenting community experiences, Bishnu aims to highlight the intersection of disability and climate change through meaningful stories that contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable society.
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