I think I may be the most eager Hamlin trip participant in history so I was thrilled when the Hamlin team asked me to write about my incredible experience on the Hamlin Ethiopian Adventure in November 2024!
The whole experience exceeded my expectations in every way. I still can’t believe what we saw!
It was a dream of mine to finally see what Catherine and Reg Hamlin created in Ethiopia to help brave women suffering from obstetric fistula. It felt surreal to finally visit The Hospital by the River after reading about it for so long.
The staff were very welcoming and so happy and proud to give us an informative tour of the hospital and its facilities. The kitchen staff made us a delicious lunch – my favourite meal of the trip! – which we shared with the hospital staff. I felt a real sense of Hamlin spirit and community.
The hospital was so efficiently run and extremely clean. I thought I might be a little overwhelmed being in the main ward but it wasn’t too confronting at all. The patients were a little shy at first, but then their smiles beamed. They communicated their thanks through smiles and laughter. It was such a joy to see.
Dr Biniyam, the Medical Director, asked one of the patients if she would be happy to share her story with us. He translated and we learned about this incredibly brave woman’s journey to healing. A few hours later, we were honoured to witness her farewell ceremony. She was completely cured and ready to rejoin her family. This was a very happy and emotional experience!
When we arrived at the Hamlin College of Midwives and Desta Mender I was amazed at how green and lush the property was. The College is set amongst beautiful gardens and we were lucky to spend a few minutes in one of the classrooms whilst a lesson was being taught. I was surprised to hear their lessons are taught in English.
Dester Mender was truly inspiring for me. It really is a holistic and empowering place. This is the next stage of healing and learning for so many women who are not ready or able to return home yet. It is a serene space that provides these brave women with counselling, love and practical training so they can provide for themselves. It was wonderful to see groups of women practising their new skills in the field, the kitchen and making handicrafts.
My husband was concerned about my safety. Once I was on the ground I was able to allay his concerns as I felt no sense of conflict. I trusted and had complete confidence in Eyayaw, our local tour guide on the ground, to make safe decisions for us.
Eyayaw is an absolute professional. He is quietly confident and always a step ahead of any situation. He pre-empted our needs and was incredibly organised so we all felt safe, relaxed and could really enjoy all the amazing experiences that regular tourists could not.
Visiting the tribes and driving around the southern part of the country was truly incredible. I was surprised at how lush and beautiful many parts of Ethiopia are and it wasn’t overly hot at all. The temperature was cool at night which made for a perfect sleep.
There was a great choice of food, from traditional Ethiopian food to pasta and rice dishes. I was worried that I would get an upset stomach on the trip, but thankfully I managed to avoid this!
The entire Hamlin Ethiopian Adventure was truly inspiring! It’s so wonderful to see how Hamlin works and the far-reaching effects of the donations. The trip was incredibly well organised with a good balance of experiences. I felt safe, appreciated, grateful and inspired!
Do you want to find out more about visiting Ethiopia? Register your interest here for a FREE online webinar on Tuesday 18 March at 8pm NZ Time.
During this session, representatives from Hamlin and Huma, Hamlin’s travel partner, will share more information about future trips in 2025 and 2026 and answer any questions you may have.
