“One day I would like to become a medical doctor,” says 17-year-old Mzee. Mzee, who lives in Tanzania with his mother, father, and six older siblings, has genu valgus in his right leg, a condition in which his knee angles in and knocks his other leg.
“Mzee completed primary education and was chosen to continue with secondary education, but unfortunately he had to stop going to school when he was in form due to lack of funds,” shares our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). “While in school, Mzee enjoyed playing soccer with his fellow students, and he also liked learning Swahili and science subjects.”
“Mzee experiences pain in his right knee after walking or running for a while,” AMHF continues. “His leg becomes stiff, and it’s hard to start walking again after resting for some time. If not treated, Mzee will most likely develop early osteoarthritis of the knee.”
$940 will cover the cost of treatment to realign Mzee’s knee, which will improve his gait and reduce his risk for osteoarthritis.
