It’s more than a cute whale shark pillow. Your support of the Mabinti Centre helps get women who’ve had fistula get back on their feet. Photo: contributed
It’s not pleasant to talk about, but nearly 3,000 women in Tanzania develop obstetric fistula every year.
The injury, which occurs during prolonged and complicated childbirths, results in the woman becoming incontinent — leaking urine or faeces, or both; it smells, and she’s often ostracized by her family and friends and abandoned by her husband.
Today, May 23, is the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.
The Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT) disability hospital provides fistula surgeries free of charge — and that includes any treatment, accommodation, and meals.
But they don’t stop there, they also have the Mabinti Centre.
If you’ve been in Dar for any length of time, you’ve seen their handbags, pillows and other screen printed products.
What you might not know is that they’re all made by women who are recovering from fistula surgery.
Even after surgery the women will face continued stigma and challenges, so the centre takes in trainees for a year, helping them gain knowledge and skills they need to open small businesses and become financially independent.
Your support of the Mabinti Centre helps get these women get back into society — so go visit their shop on Migombani Street in Mikocheni or check out their Facebook page for more details.
Want to learn more about fistula? Click here.
