The continuous leaking of urine, feces, or both, has dreadful consequences as the stench from their waste becomes intolerable to family members.  Husbands leave their wives, families send their daughters to hidden dwellings or disown them all together.  People begin to whisper of disease or curse.  Alone, many  women with fistula lead lives of pariahs often begging for their own survival.

Obstetric fistula affects the most powerless members of society.  Without any assistance after surgery, these women and girls often return to the same life circumstances that led to their injury in the first place   These are circumstances of poverty, gender inequality, child marriage and limited awareness of reproductive health or rights.

By empowering these women, we not only help to reintegrate fistula survivors, we also prevent recurrences of fistula and maternal mortality generally.  You see, obstetric fistula and maternal deaths are almost entirely preventable.  Empowerment is prevention and that’s why we focus on empowerment.

Help us help these women.