Photos: Born without legs, Syrian girl ditches tin stumps for prosthetics

Eight-year-old Maya Mehri was born with no legs due to a congenital condition and had to struggle around the camp of Serjilla in northwestern Syria, for those internally displaced by the nation’s long-running civil-war, on artificial limbs made of plastic tubing and tin cans. Now, she can walk thanks to new prosthetics after undergoing life-changing treatment in Turkey. Back after the treatment, Mehri was finally able to joined in the games and dancing with the other children at the camp.

Updated on: Dec 11, 2018 9:36 AM IST

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Syrian Maya Merhi stands with her friends in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp of Serjilla in northwestern Syria next to Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, on December 9, 2018. Until a few days ago, eight-year-old Merhi had to struggle around the camp on artificial limbs made of plastic tubing and tin cans. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Maya Merhi (2nd R) sits with her family inside their tent. Born with no legs due to a congenital condition, Mehri can now walk with new prosthetics after undergoing treatment in Turkey. Pictures of her plight, including those taken by AFP in Syria, were seen around the world in June, and she was taken to Istanbul for the life-changing procedure. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Merhi holds her prosthetic legs inside a tent at the IDP camp. Dressed in a pink sweater and matching shoes, Maya on Saturday was able for the first time to walk along the rutted roads of the Serjilla camp after arriving back. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Originally from Aleppo region, Maya and her father Mohammed had to move to rebel-held Idlib province as fighting from Syria’s civil war began to rage around their home. Sitting on a foam mattress, his daughter unwrapped the artificial legs and attached them. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Maya Merhi stands with the support of crutches next to her disabled father (C) outside their tent. “I was so happy when I saw her walking,” Mohammed said. He suffers the same condition as his daughter, known as congenital amputation which means the person is born without lower limbs. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Maya Merhi stands among her friends. After the pictures of Maya’s difficulties sparked attention across the globe, the Turkish Red Crescent intervened. The father and daughter were evacuated from Syria by Turkish authorities and brought to Istanbul for treatment at a specialised clinic. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Maya Merhi stands in the middle as her friends surround her in the IDP camp of Serjilla. Mehri was finally able to joined in the games and dancing with the other children at the camp. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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Merhi poses for a picture with the support of crutches next to her brother and father. Mohammed received prosthetic limbs as well, but admits that he isn’t yet as steady on them as his daughter. (Aaref Watad / AFP)

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“To begin with there were difficulties getting used to them,” her uncle Hussein, who accompanied his brother and niece to Turkey said. “All of a sudden she found herself up high on the new prosthetics.” (Aaref Watad / AFP)