A toddler who couldn't bend her arms due to burn scars can now finally give her parents a hug after life-changing surgery.

Gamai, four, accidentally pulled a pot of boiling water over herself when she was learning to walk aged one.

Unable to access proper burn treatments, she grew up with contracted hands and arms, as her untreated, scarred skin tightened - severely limiting her movement. 

She was ridiculed and scorned by people because of how she looked, and she was unable to play, write, dance and hug her family properly.

But Gamai's mum, Confort, heard international health charity Mercy Ships was sending a hospital ship to their country, Guinea.

Volunteer doctors and surgeons on board could help people with injuries like Gamai's - so Confort bravely made the journey with the four-year-old in her arms.

Gamai was selected for surgery, and after weeks of rehabilitation, was able to leave the ship and return home.

Now healed and healthy, Gamai can play, write and dance and, for the first time in her life, she can reach out her arms to hug her parents.

Confort said: "We carried her to the hospital but they only gave us ointment for her hands - they said it could not be cured."

"I could not even take Gamai outside without being ridiculed."

Gamai's accident, in 2015, happened after Confort put a pot of water on to boil some rice for breakfast.

Moments later, Gamai - who had just started to walk - toddled past the pot and fell over, pulling the boiling hot water over herself. 

Her movement was limited and she was treated badly some people in her hometown.

Currently, an estimated 93 per cent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to safe surgery - and tens of thousands of children die of burns in sub-Saharan Africa each year.

Mercy Ships provides hundreds of life-changing reconstructive plastic surgeries every year to treat burn patients, like Gamai - who have been robbed of years of healthy life for conditions that are easily treatable.

Gamai's family were given hope after hearing of Africa Mercy's arrival in Guinea - which contains five operating theatres, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to five patients, and 80 ward beds.

When she was discharged from the 2018 surgery weeks later, Gamai leapt for joy as she greeted her family and neighbours, who were outside waiting for her.



She was able to hug her parents with her newly outstretched arms - after years of being unable to.

Her dad, Lamine, said: "Today, she is so active because she can move like she couldn't before."

"It was as if she was in prison, but today I can say she is free."