Ashok is a 12-year-old young man who loves to play football in his free time. His father and two other family members are tea plantation workers earning $3 a day each, with which they support a family of 12.

During one football game, Ashok fell and hit his abdomen on a bamboo stump. Not wanting to get into trouble, he kept quiet about it. But his parents noticed his unusual lethargy and his swollen stomach. They rushed him to Makunda Christian Hospital, where they learned that Ashok needed surgery.

A team including a surgeon, pediatric surgeon, and pediatrician operated on Ashok and found a perforation in his small intestine. Following the surgery, he experienced kidney issues with septic shock and had to be put on a ventilator. His progress was slow and steady, and after an entire month in the hospital, he was released.

Anticipating a large medical bill, Ashok’s family took a high-interest loan of $40 from a village lender. After evaluating the family’s ability to pay, Makunda staff covered his entire bill with help from the Ekam Foundation. Ashok’s family was thrilled for this generous gift which allowed them to pay back their loan, and are relieved that Ashok can continue enjoying his childhood.