While having a few feeding jiggers is itchy and painful, an infestation is physically, financially, and socially crippling. In fact, many people in more remote areas of Uganda do not realize that jiggers are a parasitic insect. Instead, they believe the recognizable symptoms to be a curse and often shun those suffering from jiggers.
“Because of jiggers, we had problems. You cannot go to the people. You fear people!”
In addition to the social stigmatization, it becomes difficult to care for yourself. Those suffering from extreme cases of jiggers, also known as tungiasis, become unable to work or feed themselves. Andrew explains further: “You cannot go to the garden to dig and get food. You lack money because you cannot work well.” This ultimately leads to poverty and hopelessness.
For six years, Prossy suffered from the isolation, hunger, and poverty onset by these tiny, unwanted parasites. For a majority of the six-year period, she was bedridden and, on the rare occasion that she would venture out, she would be seen doubled over and limping, able to walk only with the assistance of a walking stick.
Andrew also felt the impact of his mother’s ailment. As he tried to heal Prossy without proper knowledge or tools, Andrew himself lost his business, his home, and his health to jiggers. Andrew’s son paid a visit to Jinja and was startled to see his father and grandmother in such a state of despair.
Luckily, Andrew’s son was familiar with Sole Hope’s mission of eliminating jiggers in Uganda. He recommended the family journey to Jinja, a city nestled on the coast of Lake Victoria and the onset of the Nile River, and home to Sole Hope’s Outreach Center.
