More than 10% of the inhabitants of the Nairobi slums are disabled, and children are the most affected.
For this reason the program “Surgery for the disabled” has been established, integrated within the much wider ongoing World Friends project for curative and preventive medicine in the Nairobi shanty towns.
The World Friends orthopaedic surgeon carries out the corrective surgery required (congenital limb malformations, results of traumas, burns, poliomyelitis) and sets up the rehabilitation plan which is then carried out by a group of local workers led by a coordinating physiotherapist and two assistants in one of the shacks equipped as a gym, or at domicile.
Through this sponsorship World Friends is able to cover the costs involved in corrective surgery, hospitalization, orthopaedic aids and orthopaedic tutors.
NB: These sponsorships are not personalized and therefore there is no direct donor-beneficiary contact, also due to the reality inherent to the region. Often a child is brought to the city by the family for corrective surgery, and following rehabilitation the family then returns to the rural village of provenance.
The updating sent to donors will therefore apply to the entire project, i.e. the number of children who have benefited from a World Friends surgical intervention thanks to the donations received.
Purity and Karanja – their stories
When Purity came into the world her mother was alone in a shack, without any assistance. The baby suffered trauma during the birth, resulting in paralysis of the limbs. Purity improved after receiving physiotherapy and is now waiting to be operated by the World Friends surgeon, in the hope of being able to recuperate at least part of her motorial functions.
Karanja is a boy aged around 10 years, very studious and diligent. His teacher and the nuns were very happy with him.
Unfortunately, however, he was never able to play with the other children. When he was two years old he contacted poliomyelitis and ever since has suffered from a contraction of the tendons in his lower leg, meaning he was able to walk on tip-toe, but not run.
His dream was to be able to play football.
His case was brought to the WF orthopaedic surgeon and Karania underwent surgery immediately. After a short period of physiotherapy he began to walk normally and to run. He was also able to put on some new shoes.
Now the nuns are “worried”. Karanja is not studying so much because he is always out playing football with the other children!