Ronald

Hello My name is Ronald. I am 19 years old. I live in Uganda and I have severe hemophilia A. I am in 9th grade at school. I have missed about 9 days of school in the last six months due to bleeds. Thankfully these absences have not affected my ability to do well. I am making very good progress in school. I completed my ordinary secondary level (O level) at school with good grades. I will now join the higher secondary level (A level), which is for two years. My favorite subject is history. I would like to be a researcher when I finish my education. When I am not in school I do simple mechanical work. This past year I attended hemophilia camp where I participated in hemophilia youth training. We learned how to work together to advocate for ourselves and make use of opportunities in our communities. This past year I have had to go a hospital for bleeds in my arm and knee. I take public transportation to get to the hospital which is about 25 kilometers from my home. It costs $5 to get there. Bleeds have severely damaged my left knee and elbow. These joints no longer work. I do not receive physiotherapy. But I need it. I live with my parents, two sisters and two brothers. My father is a motorcycle mechanic and my mother is a farmer. My sisters are 24 and 15 years old; my brothers are 21 and 7 years old. We are all students. My familys monthly income is about $15. We live in a village. We own our house. We cook our food in a courtyard over a charcoal fire. We do not have a refrigerator. We get running water from a spigot outside our home. Our house is well cared for. Your sponsorship funds will support my medical care and education.