When Joseph Gbembo and his family first heard about Ebola in March 2014, they didn’t believe that it was real. Even when Samaritan’s Purse went into their community to distribute Ebola awareness messaging, they ignored it. It was only when Joseph was hired by Samaritan’s Purse to do some repair work that he understood that Ebola was real.

But his family still believed Ebola was a moneymaking scheme and that people were being taken to the hospital to be killed. Joseph’s aunt, who raised him, was the first to contract Ebola. Her son took her to the hospital, but when she didn’t get better, he took her back home to Joseph’s house. She died there, and her family participated in a traditional burial where they washed her body. As his family ridiculed him, Joseph washed his hands with chlorine and sprayed his house.

From that point, several family members began to get sick, including Joseph’s mother, brother, nephew, and sister. In total, 17 people died during the course of a few days. Joseph was left with 16 orphans to raise. Three more family members contracted Ebola, but they went to the Samaritan’s Purse Ebola Treatment Unit and survived. Joseph used what happened to him to warn others in his community. Because they knew his story, they listened to him.

“When I see the children that my family member left behind with me … I remember my late family and it encourages me that these children that survive will be people tomorrow,” he said.

South Sudan refugees find joy in the midst of struggle

“I just want to live in peace.”

Life is difficult for South Sudanese children staying in Uganda’s refugee camps