“I wish to become a tailor one day,” shares Asha, a shy, 17-year-old girl from Tanzania.
Asha, the third-born of five children, lives with her parents and siblings. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), states that due to bilateral genu valgus, Asha is unable “to walk without knocking her knees together.” Although she used to enjoy school, this condition causes her to feel embarrassed and restricts her ability to attend school.
Bilateral genu valgus, also called “knock-knee,” is a condition in which the knees and legs turn inward, preventing the feet from touching. While this is a common issue in early childhood and typically resolves itself naturally, Asha’s condition has persisted. Particularly in Tanzania, where levels of fluoride in drinking water are extremely high, this diagnosis is frequent.
AMHF shares, “As time went by, Asha’s legs continued to bow inwards—she went to school until her legs became visibly bent and she could no longer walk without knocking her knees.”
Asha’s condition limits her mobility and poses challenges in her day-to-day life. According to AMHF, “She walks with difficulty and most of the time feels pain in her knees.” Without treatment, “Asha will be at high risk of developing osteoarthritis at a young age.”
Hopeful to correct the issue, Asha’s parents “started looking for ways to treat their daughter,” AMHF explains. Unfortunately, their small combined income earned from small-scale farming is not enough to cover the cost of Asha’s proposed treatment.
With $940 in funding, Asha will receive an operation to correct her legs. After surgery and three days of hospital care, Asha will be taken to The Plaster House—a surgical rehabilitation centre frequented by Watsi patients—where she will receive three months of specialist support. While at The Plaster House, Asha will spend two weeks working with a physiotherapist to help facilitate her recovery.
Following her surgery, AMHF predicts, “Asha will have straight legs and regain the ability to walk without knocking her knees. This will bring back her self-confidence and allow her to live a better life.”
