“I tried wearing a mask once, but it made it hard to breathe. Without it, people get scared, and dust gets into my nose. It’s hard…But I can’t just stay at home. If I do, how will I eat?” said Grandpa Asnawi with a faint laugh, hiding deep sadness behind his smile.

Poor Grandpa Asnawi has lived for years with an open wound on his face. The wound has eaten away half of it — his nose and left eye are no longer visible. The smell from the rotting flesh is unbearable.

“It started as a small wart that felt itchy. I scratched it, and over time it grew and spread until it became like this,” he said.

There’s not a single valuable item left in his home — everything has been sold for treatment. He underwent surgery once, but it didn’t heal. The money ran out, and his illness only worsened.

There’s a deep sadness every time Grandpa Asnawi goes out to collect trash. Many children cry in fear when they see him. Some run away, while others even vomit upon crossing paths with him.

Every day, he works as a scavenger, collecting used bottles from garbage piles. Under the scorching sun, he carries a sack and walks around 15 kilometers each day, searching for scrap to sell.

“I can hardly clean myself anymore, son… the dirt and dust get into my wound. It hurts so much,” he admitted softly.

It takes him three days to fill one sack of bottles and recyclables, which he then sells to a junk collector. For that full sack, he only earns less than $1.

Despite all his hardships, Grandpa Asnawi has no choice but to keep going — just to eat and, if he’s lucky, save a little for medicine. He doesn’t even have health insurance to cover his treatment.

Dear kind friends, Grandpa Asnawi is an elderly man who refuses to burden others or beg. He reminds us that “Life should never be lived in despair — as long as we can breathe, we must try.” He deserves a dignified life and proper treatment.

Let’s come together to ease his burden. Even a small portion of what we give can help Grandpa Asnawi continue his fight for survival and recovery. Despite his pain, he still dreams of healing — may his strength inspire us all.

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