Malaki is a 16-year-old boy from Tanzania. He is the ninth-born child in a family of 11 children and lives with both parents, who support their family through farming maize and beans. Most of Malaki’s older siblings have grown up and moved away, leaving him at home with his two younger siblings and parents. Malaki was attending secondary school but was unable to continue his education as of last year.
For the past seven years, Malaki has been living with genu valgum, a condition in which the knees angle inward. Multiple factors can lead to this condition, such as growth disorders, vitamin deficiencies, or excessive fluoride found in contaminated drinking water. As a result, the knees can angle inward or outward, making it difficult to walk and leading to long-term joint damage. His condition has progressively affected his mobility, and he experiences pain when walking, making it difficult for him to cover long distances. An employee of Kafika House met Malaki’s family and shared an opportunity with them for treatment and encouraged them to seek assistance at the facility. Through this referral, Malaki found an opportunity to receive the surgery he needs, a bilateral proximal tibial osteotomy. This treatment aims to improve his ability to walk, reduce discomfort, and facilitate a more active lifestyle.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $810 to fund treatment for Malaki. The procedure is scheduled to take place on October 15th at our medical partner’s care center, Kafika House. The goal of the surgery is to restore Malaki’s mobility, allowing him to participate in his daily activities and greatly decrease his risk of future complications.
“I am grateful that I have got the opportunity to get treatment. After treatment, I want to go to help my mother,” Malaki said.
