Meet Joshua! Joshua is a fourteen-year-old boy who lives in Tanzania. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, describes him as “very shy… but he always has a smile on his face.”
Joshua’s father died years ago, and as the second oldest in a family of six children, it’s up to him to look after his mother’s cattle. The cattle are his family’s primary source of income, and he feels that he is contributing the most to his family by herding cattle rather than attending school.
Joshua has been diagnosed with bilateral genu valgum, a physical condition in which the knees curve inwards. Right now, Joshua is unable to walk without knocking his knees, affecting his gait and ability to walk or run. If left untreated, Joshua risks developing early osteoarthritis.
For $940, we can help cover the three surgeries that Joshua needs, along with two weeks of hospital stay and medication.
“I feel pain on my knees especially after walking a long distance. I don’t want to fail helping my mom herd cattle; so I hope that my legs can be straightened so that I can walk properly,” Joshua shares.