When I first started this adventure in 2012, I had created a blog under a different name to document the first year process of the numerous design prototypes, the struggles and challenges and triumphs of those long crazy days and sleepless nights while trying to design a single prosthetic finger for someone who lived 10,000 miles away from us. We had no idea that 6 years later, that as a result, there would be so many stories to share that I wouldn’t have enough time in a day to write about them all!
After the original design was released into the open source community and e-NABLE was formed, I started this new blog in January of 2014 to share the collective stories that were happening globally. When I started this website, our e-NABLE community had barely 100 volunteers and about 10 recipients of 3D printed hands created by the makers who were eager to use their 3D printers for something other than printing another Yoda head flower pot or a set of colorful plastic coasters to set their beer glasses on.
They were excited to find that they could use their machines to make a difference in the lives of others. We were discovering that not only were the recipient’s lives being changed in a positive way through the work and passion shared by our volunteers, but we were starting to hear stories from our makers about how their experiences were not only changing their lives through the inspirational stories they were becoming a part of – but they were literally changing their own life paths because of e-NABLE.
As this website grew and media coverage spread the word about the joy that was being brought to the children who were receiving the devices, our volunteer numbers grew from 100 to 1000 and then to 3000 and 10,000 and now we have no real idea of just how many students, volunteers, recipients turned makers and others who are participating and what the impact of this project is making on their lives.
This project has grown so big and so widespread that there isn’t enough time in the day to document every story we see pop up in our social media feed or search for and find them!
All we know, is that there have been at least 5000 devices created in about 100 countries around the world and every day that I log into my social media accounts, I find more and more stories, images and videos being shared and it overwhelms me with pride that I get to be a part of something so amazing with so many other people in the world.
I want to share your stories!
I want to know how e-NABLE has impacted your life or those that you care for.
I want to hear from you, the heart and faces of the community!
We are all “e-NABLE.”
I am hoping to get enough of your beautiful stories to start sharing a few blog posts every week to continue building this website into what it was intended to be – a place to share our stories of hope, passion, innovation, and love. Where they can be shared with others and help to remind people that there is still good in the world!
I am also hoping to get enough story submissions to compile them into a beautiful book that will not only share the history of e-NABLE, but the personal, moving and inspirational stories from volunteers and makers who have had their lives changed along with the recipient families who have been gifted these 3D printed hands!
I want to share stories from classrooms who have brought e-NABLE into their student’s lives and incorporated it into their STEM based learning projects and ultimately helping us to create the next generation of changemakers! I want to share the tales of the unsung heroes who work so hard behind the scenes to keep e-NABLE going!
I want to show the world that e-NABLE is much more than 3D printed hands.
I want to create a book that shares our history from the beginning and is filled with stories from those that make up this movement and make it what it is today and what it will continue to be in the future. It is my hope that the stories that get shared with me for inclusion in the potential book, will not only be gifted to us as a whole community to enjoy and read, but that I can publish them as a collection of stories that will spread our voices and the beauty even further and be an inspiration to others, while also helping to raise money to fund the growth of e-NABLE for many years to come!
E-NABLE is inspiring people from all walks of life, all ages, religions, political beliefs, educational levels, occupations and genders to work together, share ideas and help make the world a better place for their fellow human beings.
If you would like to have your story considered for publication on this website and blog or potentially included in a future book about the e-NABLE Community, please fill out the appropriate form below!
Thank you for being a part of this global movement of changemakers and being a part of my beautiful and ever-growing e-NABLE Community!
You make my heart smile.
Each and every one of you!
SO MUCH Love,
Jen Owen
Founder: enablingthefuture.org
Co-Founder: e-NABLE
Please click on the form button that best describes you below!
Are you an adult recipient or user of a 3D printed e-NABLE device or a parent of a child who is currently or has in the past used one and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form to share your story! Thank you!
Are you an e-NABLE volunteer or maker who has created a hand for a recipient or donated hand kits or devices to send to clinics in need? Are you a designer who has gifted your work to the community? Have you put on a hand build event, mentored students or other makers? Have you started your own e-NABLE chapter and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form to share your story! Thank you!
Are you an e-NABLE volunteer who is a teacher, educator, student mentor or librarian who has brought e-NABLE into your classroom as a STEM-based service learning project and seen this project inspire your students and the future makers of the world and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form to share your story! Thank you!
Are you an e-NABLE volunteer who is a student who has brought or encountered e-NABLE in your classroom as a STEM-based service learning project and have been inspired by your experience in this project and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form to share your story! Thank you!
Are you are a Clinician, hand specialist, prosthetist, occupational therapist, Medical student or professional and have created an e-NABLE Device or worked with recipients who have used them and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form to share your story! Thank you!
Are you a recipient under the age of 18 who is currently or has in the past, used a 3D printed e-NABLE hand and would like to share your story with us? Please click the link above and fill out the form (with your parent’s permission) to share your story! We want to hear from you the MOST! Thank you!
Thank you for considering sharing your stories with us! I can’t wait to read them all!
“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.” ― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus