Toymaker builds prosthetic limbs - 23rd February 2024

Growing up in poverty in rural Bolivia, Roly Mamani learnt to make his own toys from plastic and cardboard. Now, those skills are being used to help others as he makes prosthetic limbs.

Roly Mamani: "Not having toys gave me the necessity, the curiosity, to create my own things, and currently, I have surpassed that. We are helping people, animals, and trying to change many things. There are many challenges that we have had to overcome."

Through his university years, Mamani cultivated his skills in engineering and electronics. After his education, he ended up opening a workshop dedicated to robotic toys and educational equipment. When he happened to hear of an individual without hands, Mamani was determined to construct a pair. His success led him to combine his skills with 3D printing in the creation of prosthetics for other needy Bolivians.

While above 36,000 people suffer from physical and mobility problems in the country, prosthetics aren't furnished by the state. The price of a simple 3D printed limb can reach over five times the annual income for someone on the lowest wage.

Roly selects which individuals to assist, together with his physiotherapist brother, Juan Carlos. Owing to the profits from the robotic toys, they're able to finance a massive proportion without charge, or at a reduced cost.

Pablo Matha's new arm's enabled him to play his instrument.

Pablo Matha: "I have found it much easier to play the guitar and I have been able to play with the prosthesis. For me, it’s a great gift that Roly and Juan Carlos have given me.

A prosthetic arm has permitted Marco Antonio Nina to follow his passion.

Marco Antonio Nina: "I love to sing, and I have to hold the microphone with this hand. So, sometimes, like now, I have a problem here, and it becomes numb after holding the microphone. Now, with this, I am able to make the movement and leave it there. It's easier for me to grab the microphone and sing."

Hoping to use the recognition his work's received, Mamani intends to establish a rehabilitation centre. A hero to many, this toymaker believes that science has granted him a superpower.

Roly Mamani: "For me, science is like a superpower, which allows you to do things that sometimes make you feel very good. It makes you feel a sense of empowerment when trying to come up with a solution. In our case, technology and robotics help us create anything."