In post-Assad Syria, 3D printing offers hope to a generation of child amputees

Ghada Mafalany watched as a landmine detonated between her two sons while they were clearing overgrown grass near their house in the outskirts of Daraa, a city in southwestern Syria . Ibrahim’s both legs were mangled and his chest suffered intense burns after the initial fireball, while Ahmad was “in his final moments”. Their mother knew there was no hope for her elder son. “Ahmad was divided into two pieces - his lower half was gone,” the 47-year-old recalled as tears rolled down her pale cheeks. “Ibrahim was severely burned. What remained of his legs was barely recognisable. When I reached him, he could speak to me, but could not see me - he knew it was me by my voice.