Jump for Joy Story: Keneni

Keneni's Story

'I will always remember this place,' says 9-year-old Keneni, a clubfoot patient at Jump for Joy’s Hospital in Ethiopia.

There are many reasons why Jump for Joy Ethiopia will always have a place in Keneni’s memories. It was where her feet were healed and she was given a chance to do things she had never done before. It was where Keneni found love and acceptance that even her own father could not give her. Overall, it is where she found hope for the future.

That is something worth remembering.

When Keneni was born with clubfoot, her father, a local witch doctor, declared that the condition was sign of judgment from the spirit world. He told her she was worthless and that a hospital could do nothing to help her except amputate her legs.

For the next nine years, Keneni spent her childhood hobbling around on her twisted feet. She would try to help with household chores, like carrying water, even though it was painfully dificult. As her four siblings ran off to school, Keneni was left behind because she could not manage the long walk.

When the new Jump for Joy Ethiopia Children’s Hospital opened, doors of opportunity opened for Keneni. Against her husband’s wishes, Keneni’s mother, Chaltu, took Keneni to the hospital in Addis Ababa. The staff welcomed them with open arms and immediately scheduled her for surgery.

The surgery that Keneni received at Jump for Joy was a precious gift that will pay dividends for the rest of her life. She now not only has healthy, straight feet but she has the opportunity to grow up, go to school and get married. She received a chance at a life free from disability.

YOUR GIFT helps ensure we can reach future generations of children born with Clubfoot.

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