For the first time, an international nonprofit has opened up its headquarters in El Paso.

Limbs International, an organization that helps amputees in the developing world, was founded in 2004.

Dr. Roger Gonzales, founder, CEO and president of Limbs International, chose to move to El Paso and did so with the help of the Hub of Human Innovation.

Hub is funded by the city of El Paso, along with other community partners and businesses.

Through various services and resources it provides, Hub helps technology-based businesses start off and others expand or relocate.

Hub Executive Director Cathy Swain said, "We help to fuel the economy, create jobs, diversify the economy and encourage entrepreneurs. Help people kind of lift their heads up and see what's possible in the global market opportunity."

Limbs International is the first nonprofit organization Hub has worked with.

"Limbs International is a very interesting nonprofit. They also have products that they actually sell worldwide that actually fund and fuel their efforts. So they manufacture; they create and innovate with these products," said Cathy.

Gonzales said it's a great opportunity for the nonprofit.

"It's a strategic move for us to be associated not only with the Hub and grow our organization but also the community here in El Paso because it puts us next to the border, gives us access to Latin America and also because of our relationship with UTEP (the University of Texas at El Paso)."

He is an El Paso native and tells KFOX14 growing up in the borderland was part of the inspiration for Limbs International.

"When I had been in Juarez growing up, I noticed that there were amputees begging on the corners, and I always wondered, 'Why aren't they walking? What's going on?' [I] quickly realized from my postdoctoral work in Chicago that prosthetic components can get pretty expensive," he said.

The nonprofit started out as a student project at a university where Gonzales taught in 2003.

"We developed a prosthetic knee technology that we started implementing in Kenya. From that, we've grown to other parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean so we could help patients," said Gonzales.

The prosthetics from Limbs International cost $300 versus the thousands they would typically cost from another company.

Gonzales said they not only manufacture the limbs but teach clinics how to create and maintain them. They also help with rehabilitation.

"It's not just about engineering. It's about education, it's about medical care, and it's about understanding how we can holistically help people," he said.

Limbs International is already working with three universities; University of Hartford, Louisiana Tech; and Technological Monte Rey, in Guadalajara -- on various projects and new products they're creating.

Now that they've moved to El Paso, they are partnering up with the University of Texas at El Paso.

"We're starting to look at working with faculty at the UTEP so we can help bring water resources to these places to provide clean water. We are also working with the College of Education so we can develop educational material for these kids in elementary schools to learn more about what the plight of amputees is around the world," said Gonzales.

The organization is moving towards helping amputees in the United States.

"One of the things we're trying to look at is trying to help the poor in the El Paso community so they can have a system they can use. We're also looking at working with the Wounded Warrior Project," said Gonzales.