What Are Jiggers and Why Are They So Devastating?

Jiggers are not just a nuisance. They are a tiny parasite with a massive impact.

Scientifically known as Tunga penetrans, jiggers are sand fleas about the size of a grain of sand. They live in dusty floors and unsanitary environments, and they thrive in places where people walk barefoot. But it is what they do once they find a human host that makes them so dangerous.

The female flea burrows into the skin, usually on the feet, and lays hundreds of eggs inside the body. The skin swells. Pain, itching, and infection set in. One flea quickly turns into dozens. For children, this means they cannot play, attend school, or sleep without pain. For adults, it often means they can no longer walk or work. The result is isolation, lost income, and deep emotional trauma.

There is no pill. No cream. No quick fix.

Jiggers have to be removed by hand. One by one.

If this is done with unclean tools or in an unsanitary environment, it often causes more harm. Wounds grow worse. Infections spread. In some cases, the damage is permanent. In others, it can be deadly.

This is why prevention and proper treatment matter so much.

Sole Hope is providing the solution

At Sole Hope, we combine medical care, education, and prevention to break the cycle.

Each week, our mobile clinics reach hundreds of children and community members across Eastern Uganda. We wash feet, remove jiggers safely, offer hygiene training, and give out care kits and protective shoes made by Ugandan shoemakers.

For the most serious cases, we welcome patients to The Hope Center, where they receive extended care, counseling, meals, and follow-up support. Some stay for days. Others for weeks. Each one leaves fully treated and equipped to live jigger free.

Why shoes matter

Jiggers enter through bare skin. But a strong pair of closed-toe shoes creates a barrier. It is often the difference between staying healthy or getting infected again.

Every pair of shoes we give is handmade in Uganda. Every foot we wash is a step toward healing. Every clinic we hold brings children back to school and parents back to work.

Jiggers are small. But the impact of your support is life changing.