The loss that Syrians have been experiencing over the past 11 years goes beyond the loss of homes, belongings, and dreams. The conflict has not only stripped civilians from the walls of their homes but from life’s simplest act, an act we take for granted every day.

As able-bodied individuals, we wake up every morning, get out of bed, walk to our kitchen, make our coffee, and go on with our day. Sometimes, we forget to be thankful and to think of others who lack what we have. 

Many people have lost their arms, legs, and fingers during the Syrian conflict and are no longer able to do the things they love, the things they spent years learning to do. 

At Karam House, we always think of others and never forget those who are most in need. In an effort to give back, we partnered with All Saints Academy to give back to the community.  

Last year, Karam visited different centers in Turkey that provide prosthetics for injured people.. There were all kinds of injuries. “There are people with more than one injury, and most of the amputation cases had multiple needs. Unfortunately, the prosthetics available in the centers covered a small percentage of those needs.” Said Nour, a Karam House Mentor. 

Some children are forced to change their limbs every year because they grow out of them. Others are not able to use the prosthetic limbs on the lower body because their upper-body injuries resulted in balance issues. 

“From here, we started with the idea of a studio to provide the injured with specialized limbs for their specific needs to address the problems they have been facing, and to help them in their daily lives in proportion to each case.” 

Through Karam’s partnership with NuVu Innovation School, we were introduced to All Saints Academy and the students collaborated on this studio together. “The plan was that Karam House would provide the Academy with cases so that they could present them to their students and see what ideas and solutions they can come up with. Then we divided our students and All Saints students into groups according to each case.” 

Students from Karam House and All Saints met once a week to discuss the cases and the progress of the project. Karam House students did not allow the language barrier to stand in their way. Every time they had a meeting with All Saints students, they would prepare by spending time translating and practicing their English. 

One project they worked on is the case of an injured person who had amputations in his legs and a broken joint in his hand, which had to remain fixed in a certain position, preventing him from doing anything, let alone moving. 

The students devised a splint to keep the hand in the correct position so the patient does not suffer from pain. At the same time, parts were added to help with daily tasks such as eating and drinking. The most important part is the piece with the forceps at the end, which helps the patient hold on to corridor rails during his training to walk again, using the lower limb provided by the treatment center. 

For this studio, students used engineering software (Rhinoceros-Fusion 360), 3D printers, and Arduino.

To learn more about the projects created in Prosthetics, click here.