Worldwide Fistula Fund

Since 2010, wff has strategically partnered to develop a ugandan ngo from a regional to a national program providing surgical treatment, reintegration/vocational skills training and community health advocacy training. Wff supported the launch of the reintegration center in soroti, uganda, in 2013 to provide counseling, literacy education, and entrepreneurial skills training for women with childbirth injuries, as well as training for community-based advocates to provide prevention education, treatment referrals and survivor support network programs. Our partner opened a new hospital in 2019 where surgeries and reintegration services are under one roof. Wff has supported 1,734 surgeries, reintegration training for 1,526 women and reached 840,000 community members with prevention and free treatment messaging.

Wffs figo certified Fistula surgeon and trainer launched arena in 2017 and began providing Fistula services. Initially, working through shared clinical space, expert Fistula repair was completed and followed by prevention and education in the ward. The new arena medical center opened in november 2021 with survivor reintegration training (injury prevention, income generating activities) and midwife training. In june 2022, the center began offering surgeries. Arena conducts outreach into the community to educate health professionals and community members in treatment availability and prevention. Arena employs regional ambassadors to advocate for safe childbirth and conduct patient outreach. They began to organize survivors in solidarity groups for mutual benefit. To date, burkina faso has provided 484 women with free Fistula surgeries, 451 women received reintegration training, 593 doctors and medical professionals received training, and reached over 532,000 community members with prevention and free treatment messaging.

Worldwide Fistula Fund (wff) opened danja Fistula center (dfc) in danja, niger, in 2012 offering free Fistula repair surgery, rehabilitation, and a reintegration/vocational skills program. Worldwide, Fistula Fund supports training for their surgeon to become a certified expert in Fistula surgery. All patients have the opportunity to learn vocational skills they can use to generate income, build self-confidence, and help them reintegrate into their communities. To date, dfc has provided 2,063 surgeries, 989 women have received reintegration training, 300 local health workers have been trained, and 90,000 community members have received prevention and free treatment education.