Yet in rural Ethiopia, the lack of access to quality maternity care leaves thousands of women suffering from devastating childbirth injuries, like obstetric fistula. An obstetric fistula is a preventable childbirth injury caused by a prolonged and obstructed labour when the woman doesn’t have access to emergency medical care such as a caesarean section. This results in a devastating injury — a hole forms between the birth canal and bladder and/or re**um resulting in uncontrollable leaking of urine and faeces. Fistula deeply affects a woman’s life; it causes horrific, life-altering damage to the woman’s body, and brings with it shame, deepening poverty and social rejection. Tragically, over 90% of women who suffer an obstetric fistula will give birth to a stillborn baby, often after an agonising obstructed labour that has lasted several days. For most women, a simple surgery can repair their injury and restore their health and dignity. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia’s six hospitals performed a record-breaking 4,272 surgeries in 2024. This life-changing holistic care is provided free of charge and includes counselling, physiotherapy, and nutritious meals to help women heal both physically and emotionally. At Desta Mender (‘Joy Village’), Hamlin’s rehabilitation centre, patients receive vocational training, literacy classes, and start-up grants to help rebuild their lives. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia was founded by Drs Reg and Catherine Hamlin. Reg was born in New Zealand and dedicated his life to helping Ethiopian women suffering from an obstetric fistula. Over the past 65 years, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has treated 70,000+ women, but despite this progress, an estimated 31,000 women still suffer from untreated birth injuries, with around 1,000 new cases each year. Preventing Obstetric Fistula Through Midwifery:
The root cause of fistula is a lack of access to quality maternity care. In rural Ethiopia, 50% of women give birth without a midwife or doctor present. Since 2007, 271 midwives have graduated from the Hamlin College of Midwives and are now working across 92 rural midwifery clinics. In areas served by Hamlin midwives, fistula rates have dropped to nearly zero. In 2024 alone, Hamlin midwives provided safe birth care for 35,648 mothers and babies and antenatal care to over 47,000 women. With the generous support of our donors, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia continues its mission to treat and prevent childbirth injuries, restoring health and dignity to women across Ethiopia.
