Marta Uetela is changing the lives of amputees with her innovative and stylishly designed prostheses
Marta Vânia Uetela, engineering student, and founder of BioMec, a design and construction studio that designs and manufactures prostheses from recycled plastic collected from the sea. Marta says her organisation has both a business and ecological commitment. In the next 3 years BioMec plans to reuse up to 20% of plastic residuals from Costa do Sol, one of the most polluted beaches in Mozambique.
BioMec builds prosthesis within 24 hours compared to the conventional process which takes more than 1000 hours and has the capacity to produce 20 prostheses per month. They build prostheses with innovative and stylish designs that are low cost and affordable to amputees who struggle to afford the high cost associated with prostheses produced by most companies in Mozambique. Marta says her biggest satisfaction comes from seeing amputees live ordinary lives, experience life without mobility restrictions, and have confidence in themselves. BioMec is presently made up of a team of five people. They were awarded the 2nd best Innovation Start Up award in Africa by Climate Launch Pad, the world’s biggest competition for businesses with environmental and ecological orientation.
Marta says through the YALI RLC-SA training, she gained access to tools and resources which helped her develop and refine her business ideas and got the opportunity to be mentored by program facilitators and colleagues.
