Meet Seneu, a 10-month-old girl from Tanzania. She comes from a polygamous family where her father married five wives. Seneu is the second baby to her mother. She is a happy baby and enjoys crawling and picking up what catches her eyes.
Seneu was born with congenital unilateral clubfoot – a condition which will force her to use the lateral aspect of her left foot for walking if not treated. That will also affect her gait and increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age.
She is the only child with clubfoot in the whole extended family and Seneu’s mother does not feel good when people stare and pass comments about her baby’s condition. Seneu’s mother is a homemaker and her father is a livestock keeper. None of the children are going to school because there is no school close by their village. Seneu’s father had many cattle, but he lost many of them to diseases. As much as they want their baby to get the right treatment, they do not have enough to cover the cost of treatment which their daughter needs.
Seneu needs surgery to re-align her foot and ankle joint with surgery and casting to have the chance to walk normally again. This procedure will cost $1,160 and with it, Seneu will be able to walk on the soles of her feet and will also have a reduced risk of developing osteoarthritis at an early age.
“I will be so happy when my daughter’s foot is straight. I want her to be able to walk and play like other children,” said Seneu’s mother.