The Story Of The Girl Who Lived In A Bowl

Rahma Haruna, a severely disabled Nigerian girl who became well known when photos of her appeared online earlier this year, has died at the age of 19.

The news was shared by local journalist Sani Maikatanga, whose photos were responsible for the wider world becoming aware of Rahma's plight.

Ms Maikatanga said in a social media post: "Rahma Haruna a 19 years old girl has pass away on Sunday 25th of December 2016 ... may Almighty grant her Jannatul Firdausi (paradise)."

Rahma, whose arms and legs stopped developing when she was six months old, lived with her family in the village of Lahadin Makole, close to Kano in Nigeria.

Practically immobile and in chronic pain, for many years she spent most of her waking hours in a plastic bowl, which her family transported her in.

Her younger brother Fahad would take her into Kano each day to beg for handouts. However, last year a journalist, Ibrahim Jirgi, gave the family a wheelchair.

Earlier this year Rahma's mother, Fadi, told reporters: “From six months when she learnt how to sit that was when it began. She didn’t learn how to crawl.