Gift is a thirteen-year-old girl from Tanzania who lives with her mother. Her father lives in a different town, as he is ill and needs to be close to medical care. Gift is a talented student and really enjoys studying. She is in class six at the local school and hopes to go far with her education.
When Gift was burned on her left elbow, she was treated with local remedies. All the family’s resources have gone into the medical treatment for her father, and nothing was available for the care of Gift. As a result, the burns caused a contracture (skin tightening) on her left elbow while healing. Gift later came to an outreach clinic run by the Plaster House, a Watsi partner center, as a candidate for corrective surgery.
For $550, the proposed surgery and rehabilitation to release the burn scar contracture on Gift’s left elbow will allow her to regain mobility and function of her arm. This will assist in her daily activities and work around the house.
Gift shared, “It makes me very happy to be treated for my elbow. I hope one day that I will be a good farmer and maybe even own some of my own animals.”