THE PROBLEM
There are more than one million women around the world suffering from obstetric fistula and up to 100,000 more diagnosed with the condition every year. Obstetric fistula is an abnormal
hole between the vagina and bowel, or vagina and bladder and is directly linked to one of the major causes of maternal mortality - obstructed labour. The baby usually dies and the woman is left incontinent, unable to control her urine and faecal matter. 50
per cent of women with obstetric fistula are abandoned by their husbands and she is often isolated from her community due to the foul smelling odours.
Every women deserves to give birth without risk of obstetric fistula and at Net Organisation for Youth Empowerment and Development (NOYED-Ghana) that's exactly what we are aiming to
do.
Campaign for Fistula Free Northern Ghana, is a community led campaign aiming to help eradicate obstetric fistula in Ghana's Northern Region by educating remote and at-risk communities
on the causes, prevention and treatment methods of obstetric fistula.
Obstetric fistula is prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa, including right here in Northern Ghana. Ghanaian women deserve the chance to give birth without unnecessary suffering.
WHAT WE ARE DOING
Our campaign is one led by communities for communities. After conducting baseline surveys to assess the knowledge and prevalence of fistula in communities around Tamale we moved forward
with 12 community volunteer leaders from four different community on the outskirts of Tamale who put their hands up to be educated on obstetric fistula. This training is support by the Tamale Fistula Centre and the Ghana Health Service and was undertaken by
some of the best maternity and fistula nurses in the country. Their education consisted of:
- Female reproductive anatomy
- The anatomy of fistula
- Causes of fistula
- Prevention of fistula
- Correct treatment of fistula
- Communication and information delivery techniques
NOYED-Ghana will now work closely with these volunteer leaders and communities to support them throughout the campaign to ensure that all information that has been taught and learnt
is disseminated effectively to both men and women. Through peer-to-peer education, meetings, and information sessions and with NOYED-Ghana's continued support and assessments, these communities will be empowered to create their own, long lasting and sustainable
social change for improved health of women in Ghana.
THE FUTURE
We are now aiming to expand in to more remote communities and higher risk areas. The northern region of Ghana there are corridors and pockets of women who have been suffering from
this condition for decades, ignorant to the fact that obstetric fistula is preventable and treatment in Ghana is free. It is clear that the largest obstacle in the way is lack of knowledge and education around fistula, but this is an obstacle that can be overcome.
NOYED-Ghana's Campaign for Fistula Free Northern Ghana is aiming to recruitment more volunteers from six more communities in the Northern Region. We will again spend days training
and educating the leaders on the causes, prevention and treatment methods available to women, as well as teach them about communication and information delivery to ensure this new found knowledge is disseminated effectively.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
It is clear that there is not need for both mother and child to suffer through obstetric fistula and with up to 100,000 women being diagnosed with the devastating condition each year,
it's time for this to end. Your financial support will allow NOYED-Ghana to touch the lives and health of up to 2,500 women in six different communities, with an indirect impact of thousands more.
To achieve our goals we don't need much, but what we do need, is vital to the success of this project. We need flexible and regular off-road transport, fuel, payment for trainers, teaching and learning materials and funds for the production local and effective
promotional activities. There are many places that we will be unable to reach immediately and with the majority of community members unable to read or write we are investing in media promotions, including radio discussions, advertisements and announcements
to sensitise the public and disseminate information at an increased rate.
Your generous donations will go towards:
> $20 buys fistula teaching materials and visual aids including, diagrams and pictures for community members (with the majority of community member illiterate, it's vital to have
visual aids to assist with education)
> $40 funds a radio announcement and discussion on fistula
> $50 goes towards fuel for remote access transport
> $100 pays for a expert fistula nurse and trainer for one day
> $200 will provide us with an offroad vehicle for one day to reach these remote communities
You can also help by telling your friends, family and colleagues about our campaign. Sharing is caring so FACEBOOK, EMAIL, TWEET and TEXT your contacts so that together we can create
a fistula free Northern Ghana.
