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Eradicating Fistula Forever

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You have helped restore health and dignity to over 70,000 Ethiopian women. Thank you.

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. 

A Lifetime of Caring

A Lifetime of Caring
Dr Catherine Hamlin

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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Ethiopian team members

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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Giving birth in safe hands

Kedida is one of the lucky ones. Pregnant with her first child, and recognising the signs of labour, she made her way by public transport to the Watar Hamlin-midwifery clinic. Gadissie, a newly graduated Hamlin Midwife, was there to welcome her. Having completed practical placements in several rural clinics while studying for her BSc Midwifery […]

2 December, 2024

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fistula surgeon

Dr Leta, fistula surgeon explains the importance of prevention

Eight years ago, Dr Leta was a student in Gondar University when Dr Catherine Hamlin visited to inaugurate a fistula centre. Her words made a lasting impact on him. “During her speech, Dr Catherine said that to cease the suffering of obstetric fistula patients, you must put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Even then, she […]

25 November, 2024

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Give back this festive season

As we approach the holiday season, we look forward to celebrating with our families and friends; sharing a festive meal together and reflecting on the blessings of the past year. But families elsewhere in the world do not have as much to be thankful for. When a woman in Ethiopia does not receive the medical […]

25 November, 2024

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Honour your loved one’s life

When you lose someone you love, you want their memory to last forever. Choosing to honour a loved one with a gift in memory to Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation is a powerful way to celebrate their life and cherish special memories while creating a legacy that will impact future generations. A bereavement gift can also be […]

18 November, 2024

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The symbolism of the iconic Hamlin blanket

Likelesh has called the hospital by the river her home for decades. Having suffered a devastating obstetric fistula injury when she was younger, she arrived at Hamlin’s Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital seeking treatment. But the love and support she found there completely changed the trajectory of her life. Born and raised in a rural village […]

18 November, 2024

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