My Story

Lawrence is 10 years old and in the 5^th grade. Literacy is his favorite subject. He is a diligent student and making very good progress with his academics. He enjoys singing in the school choir. He dreams of being a doctor one day. When not in school, he helps in the garden.

He has been diagnosed with moderate hemophilia A. The health clinic is 130 kilometers from his home. To get there, they must take a motorbike and then a bus. This cost $8 per trip and is very expensive for their family.

Lawrence is part of a very large family. He lives with his parents and 10 siblings. Three of his bothers also have hemophilia. His mother has given birth to 3 sets of twins. Sadly, one of his brothers died at the age of one after hitting his head in a fall. His family did not know about hemophilia at the time. It is suspected that his brother also had hemophilia and died from internal bleeding. His father and oldest brother work as lumberjacks and must travel with their employer. They are gone from the home for a month at a time, leaving his mother to farm and care for all of the children. His father blames his mother for being a carrier and causing health problems in the family, so he does not support the family. His mother sells bananas on the side of the road, earning less than $5 a month. She is often very stressed and struggles with depression.

an older photo from when I first became a beneficiary

His family lives in a rural village far from the capital city of Kampala. The family lives in a four-room home made of bricks, mud and cement with an earth floor. It does not have running water, electricity, indoor toilet facilities or a refrigerator. The family gathers water from a well. Food is prepared on a wood/charcoal fireplace. The home is very rustic and is located in a rural area. They do not have covered windows and therefore are not protected from mosquitos.

The family speaks the native language, Luganda and are also able to speak and write a little English.

family home

cooking area

inside our home

our yard