Arriving in Montpellier in November 2015, at the age of 4, in connection with the association ”Espoir pour un Enfant34- Hope For A Child34”, Sidi was moving only on his bottom but with a great will to stand up and learn to walk.
After being diagnosed with brittle bone disease, Sidi got surgery on both his two very damaged femurs, to straighten them, and on his club foot. After 5 long weeks of plasters, Sidi faced a new challenge that involves acquiring balance and learning to walk with his legs maintained by splints. Well supervised by Orthosport Center physiotherapists, he never complained about his efforts, forcing the respect of all the patients of the center. He returned home in October 2016 with his walker and his wheelchair bought thanks to a call for donations launched by our association on Leetchi.
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During 2016-2017, Sidi followed a normal school curriculum in a private elementary school in Bamako thanks to Leetchi's donations and at the same time, completed physiotherapy sessions at the Vespiren Center thanks to the association ”Espoir pour un Enfant34 -Hope for a Child34”, which managed the medical side.
Complaining of pain on the right femur, Sidi returned to Montpellier in September 2017. The surgical pins inserted into his femurs were no longer suitable, but unfortunately only the right leg could be strengthened. The left, being damaged by many previous fractures, couldn't receive a new surgical pin.
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Meantime, Sidi was able to attend the public elementary school in Clapiers, a small village north of Montpellier, and continued his physiotherapy sessions, twice a week, given free of charge at the Orthosport Center, which had already taken care of him during his first stay.
Always showing a remarkable strength of character, Sidi has made real progress in acquiring a vertical position and walking with his walker, allowing us to expect fa favorable outcome. At the end of January 2018, Sidi complained again of intense pain from his two femurs. It turned out that both of them had broken because of the muscular tension gained practising physiotherapy, even though it was well adapted to his illness. The surgeon then dramatically recommended stopping the attempts to walk.
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Sad, disappointed for not able to be like the other kids despite all his efforts made since 2015, but not desperate, Sidi completed his schooling with a brilliant record and especially an excellent appreciation from the teachers and the director of the school. He was used as an example by the teaching team for his courage, his politeness, and his kindness to others, which caused him great popularity within the elementary school.
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Sidi returned to his family in Bamako at the end of June 2018. In September, he brilliantly integrated into a class of CP2 (CE1) at the Livia Lamoure school in Bamako thanks to our financial support. There he has the opportunity to follow a regular schooling in French in a particularly favorable and well-adapted environment. We are committed to follow Sidi through his education, and to provide him with the best possible school conditions. But this requires a real investment, tuition, half board, school attendance fee, school helper. This is the reason why we created the association "En Chemin avec Sidi -On the Way with Sidi" to ensure him a normal and high-quality schooling, such as any child deserves to receive.
