A new chance for women living with fistula

140 women in Guinea who have been permanently disabled by obstetric fistula* will gain the support and skills training they need to thrive.

Why we care: Fistula is a devastating condition that affects more than 2 million girls and women in the developing world. In up to 90% of cases, fistula can be surgically repaired, if women have access to a trained surgeon.

How we're solving this: Providing support and training on income-generating activities to help these women provide for themselves.

Over the past year, EngenderHealth has successfully led a project to address the challenges of women permanently disabled by fistula. Last year, we trained 303 women in income-generation activities, and 217 women in interpersonal communication skills. The behavior change communications campaign, with the intention of educating people about fistula causes and prevention, and sensitizing them to the special needs of women living with fistula, reached 47,500 people.

Through the funds raised on Catapult, we’d like to offer the same services to more women for another year. This project has four components:

1. Creating 17 networks of 140 women living with fistula to provide social and moral support among one another.
2. Providing economic opportunities for 57 women living with fistula. The project will train women in income-generating activities, such as soap making and dying, basic business management skills, and access to small credit programs.
3. Training 10 women living with fistula in communication skills. Women will be trained to conduct home visits and sessions during social events, such as marriages and baptism ceremonies, to educate communities on fistula causes and prevention options. The women will also take part in an interactive radio program, inviting other women living with fistula to call in.
4. Training women in advocacy skills to raise decision makers’ awareness about the challenges of living with fistula. 

*Fistula is a hole that develops between the birth canal and one or more of a woman's internal organs.