Iyona is a young herder from Tanzania who has been diagnosed with genu valgus, a condition in which the knees angle inward. This causes pain and difficulty when walking. Iyona began experiencing pain two years ago. His condition makes it difficult for him to carry out day-to-day activities, especially tending to his mother’s cattle. With treatment, however, Iyona should be able to walk without pain and continue herding his mother’s livestock.
Iyona is the fourth out of six children. He did not attend school for formal education, and instead spent most of his childhood herding. His mother is a widow who is currently putting two of Iyona’s siblings through school. She needs help to pay for Iyona’s $838 orthopedic surgery, which is scheduled for April 11.
Iyona says, “I would really like to keep helping my mother raise my siblings, but I cannot do much. I mostly sit or sleep these days because it is painful when I walk. I request your assistance.”
