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STEPPING UP: The Armless Computer Genius Who Gives Lessons With His Feet

A computer programmer with no hands who was constantly turned down for work has created his own business building memes and is now teaching computer programming to others.

Diogo Alves da Silva – who goes by the name Diogo Pe (Diogo Foot) online – has been programming since he was a teenager.

The 26-year-old from Brazil taught himself the first programming language, PHP, by watching videos online.

Brazilian programmer Diogo Alves da Silva, 26, known as Diogo Pe, posing in an undated photo. Diogo was born without arms and uses his feet to work on the computer. (@diogoalvespe/Newsflash)

He then went on to graduate in computer sciences and received formal training as a computer technician.

Despite his skills, Diogo told local media he has suffered prejudice in the workplace because he was born without arms and shortened legs.

Because of his congenital condition, Diogo has to do all his work with his feet.

Brazilian programmer Diogo Alves da Silva, 26, known as Diogo Pe, posing in an undated photo. Diogo was born without arms and uses his feet to work on the computer. (@diogoalvespe/Newsflash)

He explained: “I have been through several situations where people simply excluded me from vacancies, because it was not a vacancy for people with disabilities, or the selection processes went ahead, but when it came to the moment when I said what I needed to work, I was excluded.”

So Diogo used his frustration to create a highly successful meme page called Galinha Programadora.

The page grew to almost sixty thousand followers after the programmer began to respond to technical questions from young users while teaching them how to programme.

Brazilian programmer Diogo Alves da Silva, 26, known as Diogo Pe, posing in an undated photo. Diogo was born without arms and uses his feet to work on the computer. (@diogoalvespe/Newsflash)

He then turned the page into a blog that blossomed into Programadores Brasil, an informative platform that hosts a number of copywriters and freelance reporters.

He stated: “My goal is to one day be able to make a living from this project.

“I want to be a portal that transmits news to this audience”.

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