Aretta

Niger
Clubfoot

Beautiful Aretta was born fighting. She is so tough that she did not let her clubfeet stop her from walking. Her feet were so overextended that she was forced to walk on the tops of her feet. It was a struggle and it was painful, but she did it for years and years. It just meant she had to find a new, creative way to walk.

Aretta would constantly be mocked for her disability – “Aretta the cripple” many in her village would say. She heard it every day, every time she went outside but from very early on, she decided to ignore it.

One day, Aretta’s mother heard about the CURE hospital. She brought Aretta to see if she could be treated and was so happy because the answer was yes! She was told that Aretta could be healed, but it would require multiple operations on her feet, followed by a series of casts and a period of physical therapy. A lot of hard work and self-discipline would be required. This didn’t phase Aretta’s mother, she knew that if anyone could do it, it was Aretta.

After several operations, many sets of casts and intensive therapy, Aretta’s feet were changed. She was learning to walk on the bottoms of her feet for the first time ever at the age of six. Aretta can now walk to school, receive an education and live life free from disability.