Baturumayo is 45-year-old married man from Uganda. He is a father of six children who are all boys and in school. He also had a set of twins who both passed on due to malaria.
Both Baturumayo and his wife are peasants who earn money for the education of their children from agriculture. They find it hard to pay all the school dues at once, so they pay in installments. Sometimes they remain with school debts at the end of the term. Baturumayo is worried that at some point his children might drop out of school because of lack of tuition.
Baturumayo developed a swelling in his epigastric area (upper abdomen) two years ago. It started small but it kept increasing in size and it becomes more painful as time goes by. He feels pain in the whole abdomen and it worsens after meals.
Due to the pain, Baturumayo is unable to do any work. He did not report his condition to a hospital because of lack of money. If not treated, the hernia (part of the intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall) could become become stuck, leading to damage to the intestine or even the stomach.
$249 will cover the costs of the surgery and care Baturumayo needs. After surgery he plans to work hard and produce more food for sale. If he makes enough money he plans to start a retail shop.