Ethiopia 
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While enormous progress has been made, more than 31,000 women in Ethiopia still live with an untreated obstetric fistula injury. And every year, another 1,000 new fistula cases will occur.
Through Project Zero we’ve made it our mission to bring this number down to zero, by focusing on identification, prevention, and education.
Join us as we roll out this life-changing project across the country and make Dr Catherine Hamlin’s vision of a Fistula-Free Ethiopia a reality.
Restoring Health and Dignity
At Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation, we are dedicated to restoring the health and dignity of women who have survived a horrendous – and preventable – childbirth injury: obstetric fistula.
65 years ago, Drs Catherine and Reg Hamlin, started their extraordinary journey to Ethiopia, providing a lifetime quest of world-best treatment for women who suffered from an obstetric fistula. An internal injury caused by a prolonged, unrelieved obstructed labour, which leaves women incontinent, humiliated and cut off from their communities.
With a healthcare network of over 550 Ethiopian staff servicing hospitals, a rehabilitation and reintegration centre, the Hamlin College of Midwives and over 90 Hamlin-supported midwifery clinics.
The Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation raises funds for Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. We have one purpose and one purpose only: eradicating fistula. Forever.
Ensure future generations of Ethiopian women live free from obstetric fistula
Leave a gift in your Will to continue Catherine’s journey.
The Tragedy of Obstetric Fistula
Imagine you are in labour, giving birth at home with no medical support. You are praying things will go well. They don’t. After four long days of excruciating obstructed labour, you give birth to a stillborn baby. On top of this grief, you find yourself unable to control your own body waste.
This is the tragic reality for too many Ethiopian women. Obstetric fistula is a nightmare.
Empowering Women
Nothing shows the impact of our work better than the stories of women who have had their dignity and life restored, thanks to the support of people like you.
See the impact of your support
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Towards a fistula-free Ethiopia
The Hamlin Model of Care
Dr Catherine Hamlin had unending love for Ethiopia’s women. Based on her core values, the Hamlin Model of Care is grounded in a fundamental respect for every patient and a commitment to provide complete and compassionate care.
Treating Patients
An obstetric fistula can usually be repaired with a single life-changing surgery. The Hamlin clinical team is globally renowned for its fistula-repair treatment technique, training surgeons from all over the world.
Future Prevention
The key to a fistula-free Ethiopia, lies in preventative measures. The Hamlin College of Midwives trains and deploys midwives to work in remote areas of Ethiopia – preventing fistula injuries in the first place.
Rehabilitation
Fistula leaves physical and emotional scars. Surgical treatment at Hamlin is supplemented with physiotherapy and counselling to help recovering patients regain their physical and mental health.
The Hamlin Shop
Discover our gorgeous range of ethical gifts. When you make a purchase at the Hamlin Shop, you are supporting Fairtrade artisans and Ethiopian women with fistula.
Read our Hamlin Blog
Happy 100th Birthday, Catherine!
Our entire global Hamlin family acknowledged Dr Catherine Hamlin’s 100th birthday on On 24 January 2024.
23 January, 2024
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Your questions answered: what is obstetric fistula?
In the first of our Clinical Conversations series, Dr Yeshineh Demerew, Medical Director and Surgeon of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, answers the most common questions about obstetric fistula. What is obstetric fistula? A fistula is an abnormal communication between two or more organs in our body that don’t normally connect, and usually takes the form of […]
28 October, 2024
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Bizuyie finds the courage to rebuild her life after obstetric fistula
Bizuyie is still unable to talk about the time she sustained a severe obstetric fistula injury 25 years’ ago. But we know her bladder was destroyed and the nerves in her legs were damaged, leaving her with difficulty walking and the need for a cane. Living in a remote village where no one knew what […]
22 October, 2024
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Overcoming Obstetric Fistula: Dinah’s Story
Dinah suffered for five years with an obstetric fistula injury and was isolated in her community. Then she arrived at Hamlin’s Yirgalem Fistula Hospital.
17 October, 2024
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Five books that will take you on a journey to Ethiopia
Author Jhumpa Lahiri famously said: “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” This is fortunate for the many of us who lack either the time or funds to visit Ethiopia, but are intrigued by its people, history, culture, and landscape. For those wanting to learn more about Dr Catherine […]
14 October, 2024
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National Nutrition Week
This National Nutrition Week, we recognise that food is not only an integral part of a woman’s holistic healing journey after the trauma of obstetric fistula at Hamlin. For our patients, it’s about feeling part of a nurtured – and nourished – community.
8 October, 2024
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