KARACHI: Eight-year-old Sidra Al Bordeeni, who lost her arm in a missile strike in Gaza a year ago, rode a bicycle for the first time after receiving a prosthetic arm, thanks to a Karachi-based company, Bioniks. Sidra, who was injured while sheltering at Nuseirat School during Israeli strikes, had no access to proper healthcare due to Gaza’s collapsed medical services.
Sidra’s mother, Sabreen Al Bordeeni, expressed her gratitude, saying her daughter’s joy and the fascination of her friends and siblings were overwhelming. “I can’t express how grateful I am to see my daughter happy,” she said.
Bioniks, a Pakistani social enterprise, created Sidra’s prosthetic arm by using a smartphone app that takes pictures from different angles to build a custom 3D model. CEO Anas Niaz revealed that Bioniks had delivered over 1,000 custom-designed arms within Pakistan since 2021, with funding from patient payments, corporate sponsorship, and donations. This marks the company’s first venture to provide prosthetics to conflict survivors.
Sidra, along with three-year-old Habebat Allah, who lost both arms and a leg in Gaza, underwent remote consultations and virtual fittings. Niaz traveled from Karachi to Amman to meet the girls and deliver the prosthetics. Sidra’s prosthetic arm was funded by Mafaz Clinic in Amman, while donations from Pakistanis funded Habebat’s. Mafez Clinic’s CEO, Entesar Asaker, praised Bioniks for its low costs, remote solutions, and troubleshooting capabilities, which made the project possible.
