Masereka is a 22-year-old man from Uganda. He has no parents and he never went to school. He earns a living from motorcycle transport. Masereka wishes he could work hard and get money to buy a piece of land so that he can build a house and even start a family. He likes eating fish and playing soccer.
Masereka had surgery on his abdomen a year ago, but weeks later he developed a swelling in the incision. When he visited a hospital he was diagnosed with an incisional hernia. A hernia occurs when part of the intestine protrudes through the inner abdominal wall - in this case, due to the surgical wound that did not heal completely. Surgery was advised, but Masereka couldn’t afford to pay for his surgery or to buy a mesh.
Due to the pain, Masereka is unable to lift heavy items or to do any straining. Masereka can’t even ride a motorcycle for work. If not treated, the incisional hernia could become stuck, leading to damage to the intestine or even the stomach.
$249 will cover the cost of the surgery and care Maereka needs. After surgery he hopes to be able to ride his motorcycle again and get money to support himself.