Case 011 · May – July 2026
A.S.
Lower Dir, Pakistan
A school teacher who had spent years searching for a functional solution. He found e-NABLE. I found his post.
Lower Dir, Pakistan
A school teacher who had spent years searching for a functional solution. He found e-NABLE. I found his post.
A. is a school teacher from Lower Dir, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He has a limb difference affecting both arms — his right near the shoulder, his left below the elbow. He had spent years looking for help. He visited hospitals in Peshawar and Abbottabad. He went to Hope Institute in Lahore. He tried government support programs, Zakat funds, and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. Through the Sehat Card, he was eventually given a cosmetic prosthetic — but it wasn't functional. It couldn't help him hold things, write, or manage a classroom. He needed something he could actually use.
On May 8, 2026, he found e-NABLE and posted on the community forum. He introduced himself simply: a school teacher from Pakistan, looking for guidance. I replied the same day and sent him a direct message to learn more.
When A. described his situation, I was honest with him: I didn't know of a 3D-printed device that could work for his right arm, which is affected near the shoulder. But his left arm, missing midway between the wrist and elbow, was a good candidate for a Kinetic Arm.
The usual way to estimate palm size is to compare it to the unaffected hand. Because A. has a difference on both sides, we used his foot instead: a 24 cm foot gave us a palm estimate of about 9.5 cm. He sent careful measurement photos alongside a ruler, with notes explaining each one. He asked if the photos were clear enough and offered to retake any angle I needed. He was easy to work with and patient throughout.
For color, he said skin tone if possible, and whatever was strongest and most practical if not. I printed in skin-tone PLA.
Because A.'s limb difference affects both sides, there was no unaffected hand to measure against. We used his bare foot length (24 cm) to estimate palm size, a method used in e-NABLE's sizing guides for bilateral cases. He photographed each measurement beside a ruler and described them carefully in writing. The arm is missing midway between the wrist and elbow, with elbow movement intact, which makes the Kinetic Arm a workable solution.
I prepared the components and started printing on May 13. By May 28 printing was done and I was halfway through assembly. The skin-tone PLA comes out close to a natural hand, which mattered to A. I shipped on June 17.
The parcel arrived on July 8, 2026, to Village Osakai in Lower Dir. A. wrote right away to say it had arrived safely. He sent photos of himself wearing the arm: standing, sitting, moving the fingers. He said he would follow the guidance videos carefully.
For a school teacher who had visited hospitals across Pakistan, tried every government program he could find, and spent years waiting for something functional. I hope this is at least a start.
A.S. wearing the Kinetic Arm at home in Lower Dir · July 2026
I want to let you know that I have received the parcel safely. I truly appreciate your kindness, time, effort, and support. I will try to use it carefully according to the guidance and videos you shared with me. Thank you again for your help. I am very grateful to you.
A.S. · School teacher · Lower Dir, Pakistan