New hand brings hope to handicapped Syrian boy


The dream of a handicapped Syrian boy came true when he received a prosthetic hand after having fled the civil war in his country.

Born without a left hand, 10-year-old Muhammed Beko was fitted with new artificial digits in Turkey's southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, where he sought refuge from the violence across the border.

Beko is from Syria's Aleppo province and migrated to Turkey four years ago with his family.

Many Syrian refugees, after losing limbs and other body parts in the vicious civil war, have experienced joy after treatment at orthotics and prosthetics centers in Turkey.

Beko was treated at such a center, built by the joint efforts of the Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (İHH), the Alliance of International Doctors (AID) and the Kuwait-based Bayt-al Zakat, also known as Zakat House.

Refugees receive free artificial body parts as well as physiotherapy at the center.

The Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation in the Suruç district of Şanlıurfa helped Beko realize his dream.

Director Mehmet Koç said the foundation had heard about Beko from news reports by Anadolu Agency (AA) and immediately took action to help the boy.

Indicating that he was grateful to everyone who supported him, Beko said: "I'm happy to have the prosthetic hand I dreamed of. Now I can take care of myself."

Expressing his love of cycling, Beko added: "I will be able to ride and play games more easily after receiving a prosthetic hand."