President’s Appeal December 10 2007:
Restoring dignity
Our Partner
Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund, a registered charity dedicated to supporting the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital.
The Need
A fistula is an unnatural tear or hole between two organs. Obstructed labour can cause a fistula to the birth passage, bladder and sometimes the rectum. As a result a woman leaks urine constantly. Women suffering from fistula injuries experience rejection, separation, loneliness and shame. Whist fistula injuries have largely disappeared from developed nations, the rate remains high in developing countries where many women have little or no access to medical care, are malnourished and marry at a young age. It is estimated that 8,000 women, in Ethiopia alone, suffer obstetric fistulae each year.
The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital was set up by Drs Catherine and Reg Hamlin in 1974 to address an overwhelming need. Approximately 1,400 patients are now being treated each year with a success rate of 93%. Most are able to return home within a few weeks. A number of women who cannot be completely cured and need ongoing medical care are supported in the Desta Mender Village, opened in 2002, where they also receive skills and vocational training. The Hospital relies on donations for the continuation and expansion of this vital work.
Project Location
Desta Mender Village, Ethiopia. This self-help village was built by the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital on a parcel of 21 hectares of rural land outside Addis which was donated by the Ethiopian Government in 2000. The village accommodates 100 women in 10 self-contained cottages, with a resident supervisor and two nursing staff.
Our Aims
- To help those women with fistulas who cannot be completely cured and need ongoing medical care.
- To encourage independence and improve the morale and self-esteem of the permanent residents of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital through the self-help rural village Desta Mender.
How the Project Will Work
Soroptimists will work in partnership with the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital who will apply Soroptimist donations to help fund the Desta Mender village. These donations will enable this vital work to continue and expand, restoring dignity and self-sufficiency to those women whose fistulas cannot be cured.
More Information on the 2007 Appeal
More information on the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is available at www.fistulatrust.org
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