Sioni is a 17-month old girl and the only child to her young mother. Sioni’s mom never had a chance to go to school herself, and is the second wife to her husband, who has two wives and seven children. Sioni’s father is a livestock keeper and a small-scale farmer. They come from a Maasai community where health facilities are a long distance away, and frequently are unable to go to hospitals due to financial challenges. Due to this reality, Sioni was born at home through the help of midwives.
Sioni was born with clubfoot on both feet. Clubfoot is a congenital musculoskeletal condition in which the foot is twisted out of shape. This causes patients to have a great deal of difficulty walking and wearing shoes.
Fortunately, Sioni’s family traveled to our medical partner’s care center, Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, where she will receive treatment for her condition. There, on February 18th, surgeons will perform clubfoot repair surgery on both of Sioni’s feet. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $935 to fund Sioni’s clubfoot repair. After treatment, she will be able to walk easily, and grow up to run and play like other children.
Sioni’s mother says, “I would like my daughter to be like other children.”