Tibesigwa is 52-years-old and a mother of six from Uganda. She separated with her husband nine years ago. She stays at her father’s house together with her last born, who is 12-years-old. Tibesigwa doesn’t have a piece of land of her own; she cultivates food on her father’s piece of land mostly for feeding. She doesn’t have any source of income.
Tibesigwa has had abdominal pain and intermittent bleeding for the past 12 years. In the past six months, she has had continuous bleeding. She feels as if her abdomen is swollen and full. Tibesigwa has visited a hospital several times and has always been diagnosed with uterine fibroids. She was advised to have surgery, but she could not raise money for her treatment. Due to pain and bleeding, she is unable to bend and currently she is in bed most of the time, unable to do any work.
For $250, Tibesigwa will have total abdominal hysterectomy surgery to remove her uterus. After surgery, she hopes to regain her strength, resume digging and plans to look for money to start a small business so that she can be able to support herself.
