LEANDER GANZERT
GERMANY, 17
Project: Bionic Hands of Hope
Basic Human Needs: Education, Health
While visiting Bali, Leander was devastated to learn of a man named Pak Gunung, who was living without one of his hands. There was little access to prosthetics and healthcare where Pak Gunung lived, in stark contrast to the community in Switzerland where Leander had been living. Leander recognized that living without a hand or other similar injuries was a greater challenge in communities where many lived without financial security. Along with the risk of poverty, families with members with who have physical disabilities could face social exclusion and other challenging obstacles. Leander created a brain controlled, 3D printed bionic hand for Pak Gunung. From this one hand, came Leander’s idea for Bionic Hands of Hope, a company providing innovative hands to amputees in underdeveloped countries, and “Maker Labs” that employ and train workers to produce the hands in local communities. Bionic Hands of Hope also works to diminish the stigma surrounding people with disabilities, and connect amputees to a stable source of income. In the next year, Leander hopes to produce and distribute 500 bionic hands; and over the next few years, Bionic Hands of Hope aims to build additional labs throughout the world and become the source of many more affordable healthcare solutions for disadvantaged people.