Nivan is a social and very friendly boy, the youngest in his family of three children. Currently, he attends a small kindergarten, which is close to their home. His parents had previously enrolled him at a government school, but he had to change schools due to the distance he had to walk to get there, which was difficult for him. Nivan’s father is a small scale farmer, and also owns a small kiosk where they sell basics like sugar, flour and vegetables.
Nivan was diagnosed with bilateral genu valgus, or knock knees. As a result, his legs bow inward so that his knees touch. This condition is typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. Nivan is not able to walk long distances due to pain.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Nivan. The procedure is scheduled to take place on April 16th. Treatment will hopefully restore Nivan’s mobility, allow him to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease his risk of future complications.
Nivan’s mother shared, “We have tried to seek treatment for our son with no success. We even used our saving to get medical insurance for him but it turned out it cannot cover his treatment cost. Please help us.”