Cleveland students train local staff to build prosthetics in Ecuador, leaving 3D printer behind

IBARRA, Ecuador (WOIO) - Cleveland students have spent the week in Ibarra, Ecuador, changing lives one prosthetic at a time and this trip, they are making sure the work continues long after they leave.

The Great Lakes Science Center team has been seeing patients and, at the same time, training hospital staff and local high school students how to build prosthetics using a 3D printer the organization is leaving behind.

Training locals to carry on

Local doctors and students have been learning hands-on how to build and assemble each prosthetic, from how the 3D printer works to the assembly of each arm.

Ahnaf Haque, a student lead for the team, said the experience of helping patients has been meaningful but that the team recognized a gap in its impact.

“It felt incredible — there’s no words I can say to describe how it felt seeing Zaid getting his arm for the first time,” Haque said. “Cause we come here and we help as many patients as we can, but when we leave we’re not here to continue helping.”

The 3D printer and the training program are intended to close that gap, equipping local doctors and students with everything they need to keep building prosthetics independently.

Program founder reflects on growth

Yariselle Andujar, who helped found the program five years ago, said watching it grow has been meaningful.

“So just knowing it changed me in my life, I know that it will do that to others, and seeing that actually happen to our students and to even the kids that we helped. It’s just amazing, it’s incredible,” Andujar said.

The Cleveland team is scheduled to remain in Ibarra through July 2.