Fedrick is a polite sixteen-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the sixth born in a family of eleven children, but ever since he was a little boy he has been living with his grandparents.
Fedrick’s grandparents are elderly, and can no longer manage the cattle herd that is their livelihood. So, for some time now, Fedrick has missed out on school so that he can help them. Apart from herding cattle, Fedrick also enjoys playing soccer with other children.
Fedrick has become very good at herding cattle, but recently he has developed a physical problem that makes it hard for him to do this work. His right limb has begun to bow inwards, and is now bent to a point where it is difficult for him to walk without knocking his knees. This condition has reduced Federick’s efficiency in cattle herding, and he sometimes feel pain in his right knee.
Fedrick needs corrective surgery to restore his normal gait and ability to better perform various activities. However, coming up with enough money for Fedrick’s treatment has been a challenge for his family. His parents, who are small-scale farmers, can already barely meet the basic daily needs of their eleven children and of Fedrick’s grandparents, whom they also support.
That’s where we come in. $940 will cover the cost of the surgery that Fedrick needs to restore the bones of his right leg back to a normal position. This funding will also pay for Fedrick to receive two weeks of physical therapy and a three-month stay at Plaster House, a recovery center for children who have undergone major surgery. After these treatments, Fedrick will be able to walk again comfortably.
Someday, Fedrick says, he would like to be an organic farmer. We can help him pursue this dream by ensuring that he can walk without pain.
