Dora is a teenager studying in class six and her best subjects are English and Swahili. Once she completes her studies, Dora has dreams to become a teacher. At home, she is the seventh oldest of her mother’s eleven children. Dora’s father has three wives, so Dora has twenty siblings total. Dora likes helping her mother with home chores, such as washing dishes and keeping their home clean. Dora’s parents are small scale farmers of maize and vegetable, and they also have a few cattle that they depend on for milk.
Dora was diagnosed with left genu valgus, a condition typically caused by an excessive accumulation of fluoride in the bones, which often stems from contaminated drinking water. As a result, her left leg is bowed so that her knees touch, thus making walking difficult. Dora has to walk forty minutes one way to and from school everyday, so this condition poses a significant barrier to Dora continuing her education and pursuing her aspirations.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare (AMH), is requesting $880 to fund corrective surgery for Dora. The procedure is scheduled to take place on July 15th. Treatment will hopefully restore Dora’s mobility, allow her to participate in a variety of activities, and greatly decrease her risk of future complications.
Dora shares her current condition, “When I walk to school my leg pains so much there are days I am unable to put weight on the leg especially when it’s cold. Please help me.”