For Abubakarr, running with his friends used to end in a fall. Now, after surgery to remove extra toes on both feet, the six-year-old from northern Sierra Leone can finally play football without tripping.

Abubakarr was born with six toes on each foot, a condition known as polydactyly, which made it difficult for him to run. His feet knocked together when he tried to play, and his family said he struggled to join in games.

He was also mocked by others in his community, according to his aunt Muminatu.

Muminatu said: “Someone called Abubakarr ‘fowl-foot’ and I got so angry, I confronted them.

“That’s when Binta, a neighbor, approached me and said, ‘Mercy Ships is coming back – take Abubakarr there.'”

The family could not afford surgery until they heard about a hospital ship run by charity Mercy Ships that would soon dock nearby.

Abubakarr’s grandmother Adama, who raised him after his mother passed away, said before the surgery: “When he tries to run, his feet knock against each other and he falls.

“Even during school sports, he would be eager to join – but the moment he starts running, he trips and falls.”

Volunteer surgeon Tjeerd de Jong, from the Netherlands, carried out a 90-minute operation on board the Global Mercy hospital ship in November 2024.

After the procedure, Abubakarr completed two weeks of rehabilitation to improve his strength, balance and mobility.

Louise Matthews, a volunteer physical therapist, said: “Abubakarr did really well after surgery.

“We got to watch him take his first steps in what we call ‘Darko shoes’ – special boots we use for kids recovering from polydactyly surgeries.

“His recovery just kept getting better.”

After rehabilitation, Abubakarr said: “I can go to school now and nobody will laugh at me.”

On discharge, he was given a new pair of shoes, something he had not been able to wear before.

In Sierra Leone, just two reconstructive plastic surgeons serve a population of more than eight million people.

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