Meet the 24-year-old who’s changing lives by giving away 3D-printed prosthetic limbs to people in the developing world

This 24-year-old engineer is changing lives in Africa and other developing countries, a time when most young people are thinking about themselves, their future, and probably thinking of making millions from cryptocurrency investment.  At just 24 years old, he’s already making the world a better place.

Guillermo Martinez, now 27, is a Spanish engineer who is changing lives with his 3D prints prosthetic arms for people in need. He has touched more lives than most do in a lifetime and he hasn’t turned 30 yet.

It all started in 2017 when Guillermo Martinez purchased his first 3D printer for $172. He went on to learn how to build robots and other devices by watching tutorials on YouTube and before the year was up, he was already printing and fitting prosthetic arms and hands for people all over Kenya.

Then one day, Martinez stumbled upon a tutorial for a prosthetic hand, and that video changed his life forever. “I started making many 3D-printed hand prostheses for fun…then I thought to myself, ‘what if this can actually help someone?’ I had already prepared my trip to Kenya and I contacted the NGO Bamba Project, as well as one of the orphanages that operates in Kenya. I didn’t think I was going to find anyone,” Martinez said.

Today, Martinez is now running his own 3D company, Ayúdame3D, which delivers prosthetic arms free of charge to people living in the world’s poorest countries. Martinez has delivered 50 prosthetic limbs to people all over the world. He hopes to expand to a global production network to increase output and keep costs low.

Ayúdame3D’s mission is to leverage new technologies to create a better world. The startup aims to use 3D printing technology to help people around the world who need help to give them opportunities that were impossible in the past.

Just last year, Martinez’s company, Ayúdame3D, opened the first 3D printing lab in Bamba, in Kabarnet (Kenya), It is the first technology classroom in the area with professionals trained in 3D printing offering trésis and printed aids free of charge.

Ayúdame3D said the idea behind the project is to “empower the community in the area through new technologies to create a completely autonomous aid network in the country.”

In December 2021, Martinez shared a video of how his company is changing the lives of young children in South America. In a pinned tweet, Martinez  said:

“We start the week wanting to continue helping! Ending the year knowing that our work makes people happy excites us and gives us strength. Thank you for helping us help. You join?

https://twitter.com/Ayudame3D/status/1475393240945811459

“There are everyday things we do in our daily lives that we take for granted,” said Martinez, “and we don’t realize how lucky we are. For others, it’s a constant struggle, and that’s why I set up Ayúdame3D to do my own bit, however small.”

You can collaborate with Ayúdame3D to help the company finance national and international aid projects. If you’re interested in supporting the work, you can visit https://ayudame3d.org/en/hazte-socio/ and help make the world a better place.

Below is a video of Martinez helping a Kenyan with the new prosthetic hand.