My Story

Hello!

Emmanuel is 10 years old and in the 2nd grade. My school is 22 kilometers from his home, so he needs to take the school van to get there. His favorite subject is English. He is making average progress despite regularly missing school due to bleeds. He dreamd of being a doctor or a race car driver one day. He likes to play with his friends when not at school.

He has been diagnosed with severe hemophilia A. He has regular bleeds in his knees and elbows, and recently experienced an eye bleed. The mobility in his left knee and left elbow is impaired as a result of frequent bleeds. He is able to receive factor infusions at his local hemophilia treatment center. The treatment center takes an hour to get to by public transportation which costs $4 per trip. The great distance and expense prevent him from receiving treatment as often as he should and poses a risk in the case of a bleeding emergency.

Emmanuel's family lives in the city of Nankonge, Uganda which is in the Wakiso district. He lives with my parents and five brothers. Two of his bothers, Mark and Micheal, also have hemophilia. His father drives a motorcycle taxi for work. His mother works as a farmer. Their combined monthly earnings are approximately $80. The family speaks Luganda in their home. Members of his family are also able to read and write in English.

The family owns a small two-room house that is constructed of mud. Their home does not have electricity, a refrigerator or any plumbing. They need to get water from a village well and use an outdoor toilet. The home is in very poor condition. It does not have windows that open and the door is only an old iron sheet that is not secure. Their meals are cooked outside over a charcoal fire. their basic diet consists of vegetables and lots of sweet potatoes from his mother’s garden.

Sponsorship funds help to pay for Emmanuel's health care and education.