Aye married her husband Fikre at 16. They both enjoyed life and were really excited to start a family. But when Aye was pregnant with her first child, she went into labour at home with no trained birth attendant to help. After four days of obstructed labour her baby had still not arrived. At the […]...
My name is Amaresh and I think I am 28. My village is in the far remote countryside, three hours walk from the road. My family gets a small income from farming. I help my husband in the field and manage our home. One year after I got married, I was pregnant with my first […]...
“Death is more preferable than such a tragic life. I had tried to commit suicide many times, but I used to be too weak even for that.” – Eshe Eshe is from an isolated village in the North of Ethiopia. At 16, she married a local farmer and dreamt of having a big family. But […]...
We believe every mother should be able to deliver her baby safely and without harm. Sadly, this was not Alemtsehay’s reality. Alemtsehay is from a small village in the remote countryside with no access to a healthcare facility. With her first pregnancy, in 2007, she laboured at home for seven days. On the seventh day […]...
The team in Australia received a vibrant letter from Dr Hamlin last week. Now 92, Catherine still lives on the grounds of the hospital in Addis Ababa. We’d like to share some of her words with you… We have just welcomed our CEO back from his visit to Australia. He came on Monday morning for […]...
One of the worst things that can happen to a woman in rural Ethiopia is to have an obstructed labour and suffer an obstetric fistula. These women become ostracised and are pushed to the edge of their society, socially isolated and often forgotten and invisible. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has a very clear goal – to […]...
The physical consequences of an obstetric fistula are debilitating. The treatment that patients need often goes beyond the repair of the fistula itself. Sometimes their bladder is completely destroyed and sometimes their rectum and urethra are damaged. Patients who have lived with their injuries for many years can also have extensive scarring which makes their […]...
North Shore Private Hospital in Sydney has joined forces with Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia to give maternity patients some very special gifts. New mums in the VIP suites receive a hand-carved soapstone heart from the Hamlin store in their gift hamper. These beautiful Fair Trade stones are made in Kenya, with proceeds supporting our work in […]...
We are so grateful for Natures Organics’ incredible support. This is their story: “We’re an Australian family business that believes in giving back to communities all over the world. In our business, we prioritise organic products that are safe for our environment. Our philanthropy is focused on the same principles, as well as supporting the […]...
Published in the Daily Telegraph, 02/08/16. Story by Angela Saurine. Late husband’s passion inspires Ethiopia charity challenge for Dr Catherine Hamlin’s fistula hospital. HER late husband Ian was a surgeon with a passion for indigenous health, and Trish O’Rourke knows he would be smiling down on her if he knew about her new endeavour. The […]...
Running one marathon is impressive. Running seven is incredible. Running seven in seven days on seven continents is almost inconceivable. In January 2016, Sarah Ames successfully completed this amazing physical feat as part of the World Marathon Challenge. She overcame jet lag, fatigue and huge temperature fluctuations all to raise much needed funds for Hamlin […]...
“Dr Catherine Hamlin and her late husband Reg have inspired me for years. I am totally in awe of them and their achievements in Ethiopia, restoring the lives of thousands of poor women. I admire their persistence. I admire their courage. But most of all I admire their deep love for these women. When I […]...
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