Freedom From Fistula Foundation - Malawi Midwife Project

After a talk by Sue Hope about the Freedom From Fistula Foundation Duns Rotarians decided to support its project in Malawi. Other clubs were like-minded and donations have been pooled to gain a Global Grant from Rotary Foundation, which is now in place.

Obstetric fistulas are caused by prolonged, obstructed childbirth and leave women incontinent, often living in shame and isolation having been outcast by their families and friends. The Freedom From Fistula Foundation was founded by Ann Gloag in 2008 to help women and girls with this injury. Its work comprises both helping women and girls suffering from the condition and helping to prevent it happening in the first place, through:

free surgeries to repair obstetric fistulas and
direct maternity services through its own maternity unit, (Sierra Leone) and
providing midwifery training to improve knowledge and skills in midwifery services

There are an estimated 2 million women living with obstetric fistula in Africa and the Freedom From Fistula Foundation has projects in Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Malawi, with a project in Liberia starting soon, and is helping fund treatment in Ethiopia and Zambia.

Maternal deaths can be as high as 1 in 6 in Africa and, for those who survive, 1 woman every 2 seconds is injured or disabled in childbirth. Better maternity care, and access to it, is crucial to prevent obstetric fistulas and the provision of trained midwives is critical to this process.

The Malawi Midwife Project

Established with the personal support of the new President of Malawi, FFFF's Malawi Project has the goal of transforming maternity care in the country by training 200 new midwives.

It cost $2000 to train each midwife for two years (approx

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Projects

back This page gives access to details of the various Projects we support either financially or by running activities ourselves.