Little girl can finally go to school after surgery to fix her bowed legs

By Harrison Moore via SWNS

A little girl can finally go to school after surgery to fix her bowed legs.

Aicha, six, suffered from malnutrition due to poverty and didn't grow or learn to walk at the same time as her peers in Senegal, West Africa.

Her mother got sick and died when she was just three months old, and while her grandmother Mymoona stepped up to help look after her, life was still tough.

By the time she was due to start school, Aicha was still learning to walk.

Her legs were bowed at a 45-degree angle, and she wasn't able to go to school due to restricted mobility.

(Lara Arkinstall / Mercy Ships / SWNS)

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Her local hospital was unable to help and the family had nearly given up hope when they were told about global charity Mercy Ships which had docked a hospital ship nearby.

After attending a screening, she had surgery to straighten her limbs, and the little girl was able to go to school with her pals.

Speaking of Aicha's early years, Mymoona said: “That was a very dark time for us.

"My son was grieving the loss of his wife, and we had to try and take care of Aicha.

"We did not know if there was anything to help her.

"We tried taking her to the local hospital, but they said that they did not have the equipment to do anything about her legs.”

She added: "If Aicha's mother could see her right now, she would be very happy.

"Despite Aicha’s bad luck in life, she has finally received the help she needed!"

The surgery happened in 2020.