Getu and her husband were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child. Throughout her pregnancy, Getu remained active, assisting her husband with farming tasks, collecting wood from the forest, grinding cereals, and managing other household activities. Their daughter was delivered safely, but Getu suffered a severe obstetric fistula injury due to prolonged, obstructed labor. […]

Firomi Shume is one of our dedicated and passionate Hamlin midwives working to prevent fistula and maternal death.  Now 26 years old, Firomi was born and raised in Mettu, a small town in West Ethiopia where one of the five Hamlin regional hospitals is located. It was from here that she was recruited for a […]

Paralysis is rarely something a woman in New Zealand experiences as a consequence of childbirth. Yet, in addition to losing her baby and sustaining an obstetric fistula injury, Emnet lost the use of her legs during an agonising and lengthy home birth. Emnet’s injuries were so severe that her life hung in the balance.  Falling […]

This past year Hamlin Fistula has achieved more than ever! 3,580 surgeries for obstetric fistula, pelvic organ prolapse and other gynaecological conditions. 96% fistula closure rate - higher than anywhere else in Africa. 84 midwifery centres were supported by Hamlin with essential drugs and equipment, midwife salaries and mentoring. 28,159 women birthed fistula-free in the […]

We recently interviewed Hamlin Midwife Mentor Bella, who updated us on the conditions faced by our Hamlin midwives in Tigray.

An often-untold story is the impact of civil conflict and violence on childbearing women.

Please note this story contains distressing information.

“Look at me now, I am the happiest woman in the world! I walk around with confidence and dignity. Now I can work and change my life.” – Mulu Obstetric fistula stole Mulu’s joy, confidence and relationships for 17 years. Today, because of you, Mulu is regaining her health, happiness and sense of self, after […]

Obstetric fistula can devastate the chances of a woman having marriage and children in the future. Marriages are often broken by the tragedy of losing a first baby in childbirth. With no foreseeable prospects of physical recovery, women are often abandoned by their husbands. Miskiya and Nejat are a story of hope. Miskiya and her […]

In 2020, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia and UNFPA Ethiopia formed a partnership to combine efforts to improve maternal health outcomes for Ethiopian women living with untreated obstetric fistula injuries. This three-year joint project focuses on improving access to fistula for Ethiopian women, as well as reaching more women for screening and referral of cervical cancer. The Patient Identification Program is a key […]

Thirty years on, we remember Dr Reg Hamlin If ever there was an unsung Kiwi hero, it was Dr Reg Hamlin. His impact on obstetric fistula care would spread far and wide and change the lives of tens of thousands of women. His journey began in 1908 in Napier, New Zealand. As a boy, he […]