This is Mahmud, a happy and cheerful one-year-old boy with a keen fascination for musical toys. His parents are young newlyweds in Tanzania; his father works as a laborer in the surrounding farms and his mother works at home.
Mahmud has bilateral clubfoot, a congenital disorder which will likely develop into early osteoarthritis if his condition is left untreated. Unable to walk on the soles of his feet, or for his heels to touch the ground, Mahmud needs to be carried around by his mother. “I will be happy to see my son able to walk properly, the ability to walk allows one to perform many other activities,” says Mahmud’s mother.
Mahmud’s family lives in a mud home with a small garden, from which his mother sells vegetables to supplement their income. Mahmud’s parents want to help their son receive the medical care he needs, but the cost of treatment is unaffordable.
For $1,160 we can fund Mahmud’s treatment at the African Mission Healthcare Foundation. The operation will correct the bones in his feet, allowing Mahmud to improve his gait and take his first independent steps. Mahmud will then be able to get around on his own, enabling his mother to continue her education and the family to walk together towards a brighter future. Let’s make sure Mahmud keeps on smiling!