From Fintech to Footsteps: A Partnership Restoring Childhoods in Nigeria

YABA, NIGERIA – June 22, 2026 – For a young Nigerian schoolgirl named Hasana, the simple act of fetching water turned into a life-altering event. A collapsed water tank left her with an injury so severe that, after a week of failed surgeries, her leg had to be amputated. The path forward was uncertain, her ability to run, play, and simply be a child seemingly lost. Yet today, Hasana is walking again, her confidence restored. “I tried to play, I couldn't. I tried to run, I couldn't. But now… I can do everything,” she shared.

This remarkable turnaround is the result of a powerful collaboration between Cardtonic Cares, the social impact arm of the fintech super-app Cardtonic, and The Irede Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting child amputees. By sponsoring a custom prosthetic limb for Hasana, the partnership has done more than just provide a medical device; it has delivered a tangible improvement to a life, showcasing a new model of how corporate strategy can create lasting human value.

A Partnership for Mobility

After her accident, Hasana’s hospital referred her family to The Irede Foundation. Founded in 2012 by Crystal Chigbu, whose own daughter required a prosthetic as an infant, the foundation has become a beacon of hope for families navigating limb loss. They identified Hasana as a candidate for support, and through their established partnership program, Cardtonic Cares stepped in to fund the entire process.

The journey to Hasana's new mobility was meticulous. It began with a detailed assessment of her residual limb, checking for sensation and ensuring the area was ready for a prosthesis. This was followed by a precise casting process to create a custom-fitted socket—the critical interface between the body and the artificial limb. A soft inner liner was added to cushion the stump, preventing pain and ensuring comfort. Hasana then underwent multiple fitting sessions to fine-tune the height, balance, and alignment, coupled with gait training until she could walk with the confidence she displays today.

“God brought a solution, this company gave us a prosthetic leg,” her mother expressed with profound relief. “We are really grateful.” Her gratitude underscores the immense barrier that cost represents. In Nigeria, the price of a prosthetic limb can range from N550,000 to tens of millions of Naira, an insurmountable sum for most families. The high cost is driven by a reliance on imported components, making partnerships like this one a critical lifeline.

Beyond Transactions: The Fintech with a Conscience

For Cardtonic, this initiative is a deliberate extension of its core mission. While the company is known for its fast-growing fintech platform—serving over 1.8 million users with services from virtual dollar cards to digital asset exchange—its social impact arm, Cardtonic Cares, is central to its identity. Launched in 2022, the program aims to channel the company's resources and success into initiatives that generate real-world impact.

This is not a one-off act of charity. Cardtonic Cares represents a structured approach to corporate social responsibility. The company donates a portion of every transaction on its platform to charity monthly. It runs an annual "Upskill Program" that has provided dozens of young tech enthusiasts with high-end laptops to launch their careers. In 2025, it even established Tonic FC, a grassroots football club competing in the Nigerian Nationwide League One, to foster youth development through sport.

This commitment to community is woven into the company's culture. “Being in a company that treats giving back with the same seriousness I do? It has been like a breath of fresh air,” a Cardtonic Cares volunteer shared. “It feels like we're doing some real good. Like we're paying good fortune forward.” By integrating social strategy with its business model, Cardtonic is demonstrating how a successful tech company can be a powerful engine for social progress, moving beyond financial transactions to transform lives.

A Decade of Empowering Champions

The partnership's effectiveness hinges on the expertise of The Irede Foundation. For over a decade, TIF has been at the forefront of tackling the challenges of childhood limb loss in Nigeria. The organization has provided over 500 limbs to children, addressing a critical gap in a country where trauma is a leading cause of amputation, often exacerbated by the mismanagement of simple fractures by traditional bone setters.

Ann Fadipe, a Partnerships & Communications Assistant from The Irede Foundation, speaks to the spirit of the children they help. “These children have redefined what people think persons with disabilities cannot do. That is why we call them Champions,” she said. This philosophy of empowerment permeates their work, which includes not only providing prosthetics but also offering psycho-social support and advocating for inclusive education.

Recently, the foundation has embraced innovation to scale its impact. In partnership with NNPC and SNEPCo, TIF launched 3D printed prosthetic limb production in Nigeria in late 2025. This technological leap dramatically reduces the time and cost of producing custom sockets, allowing them to help more children like Hasana faster than ever before. It is this combination of deep-seated purpose and forward-thinking strategy that makes The Irede Foundation such an effective partner for impact-focused companies like Cardtonic.

Through this single story of one girl’s restored hope, we see a powerful blueprint for the future. It is a story of how a tech company's success can fuel meaningful change, how a dedicated non-profit can turn resources into miracles, and how, together, they can help a child not just to walk, but to run towards a future without limits.