Fistula : Africa's Forgotten Women

Basic health care, awareness and medical support is often lacking in the isolated and rural areas of Kenya. Childbirth for many women in these areas is often difficult and prolonged, without medical intervention such as a Caesarean an obstetric fistula can develop, a hole in the birth canal which leaves the woman with chronic incontinence and in most cases a stillborn baby. The smell of leaking urine, faeces or both, is constant and humiliating. Lack of understanding and awareness of the problem leads to family, friends and neighbours believing the woman is unclean and she is more of then than not abandoned to lead a life of misery and confusion alone. For many women, the profound social isolation is worse than the physical torment. If left untreated, fistula can lead to chronic medical problems including ulcerations, kidney disease, and nerve damage in the legs. Fistula often leads to the social, physical, emotional and economic decline leaving women with few opportunities to earn a living. The courage many women show in the face of these challenges is extraordinary.