Samuel Astacie Soto

Extreme poverty is tough enough, then you see it get harder - extreme poverty met with additional tragedy and hardship.
Samuel has 4 children, the youngest is 12 months old. He received horrific burns to most of is body when fire broke out in his small hut in Once de Mayo, Alto Cayma. He tried to rescue a small amount of money (all he had) and a gas cooking cylinder exploded in his face.
He has had three grafting operations and requires one more. He can't work.
Samuel only spends nights with his family in a borrowed shanty because frequent dust storms higher in the settlement (where they are) create big problems for his healing wounds.
I met Samuel as he lay in his daytime abode, playing with his one year old daughter, Lucero.