Fistula Foundation

I donate to Fistula Foundation because I believe they are doing an amazing job in improving women's health and life in underdeveloped country.

I was blown away by the pain these very young women endure during child birth, because of their under-developed pelvis. The social isolation that they endure must be one of the most horrific life experiences imaginable. Every time I think about it, I am deeply moved. I am also deeply grateful that the Fistula Foundation exists, and that it does the fantastic work it does.
If you are in a position to support the Foundation I urge that you do so.

I believe in the work of the Fistula Foundation. Before becoming a donor I wanted to volunteer with the organization just to get a closer look. I can confirm that donations to the Fistula Foundation are well spent on work in the field and not on fancy corporate extras.

Well, having had bladder problems and surgery and feeling blessed with the outcome, I like helping other women achieve the same joy of being dry and in control. ha ha! The fistula foundation does that for women who otherwise would suffer. I think it's a great charity.

I have been supporting The Fistula Foundation for several years now and I feel my financial support is nothing compare to what they do for women around the world. I admire the difference they make, I am amazed at their hard work and I am grateful for all the women they help in my native country Ethiopia!

This is an excellent organization and I have been donating to them for many years. I first heard about them years ago on Oprah and was truly touched and amazed at the work they do.

This outstanding organization has the power to change women's lives. If you have any doubts, watch the documentary "A Walk to Beautiful". I will be donating again!

I donate to Fistula Foundation because I know that even my modest donation makes such a direct and significant improvement in the life of a woman. I trust the Fistula Foundation because they use their donations very efficiently and do not spend a lot on administration. It is unthinkable that obstetric fistulas should still plague women when we have the knowledge and ability to correct them. I feel good knowing that my contribution can completely change the life of a woman.

As a nurse I know how devistating a fistula can be. It is personally so rewarding to be able to help make such a huge change in someone's life with a small contribution.

I was introduced to this charity shortly after giving birth and immediately felt compelled to help women and children who did not have the same access to the medical treatment I had available. The Fistula Foundation allowed me to make a difference and are one of my favorite charities to donate to. They are transparent, personable and so focused and determined to help those in need.

I first learned of this work when Nicolas Kristof wrote about American doctors in the African jungle repairing women with fistula. I became involved and have been so impressed with the progress they made over the years and the publicity they have generated to raise even more money for this great cause. For Mother's Day, I give money in the names of the mothers in my family. I see this as a great way for women of the developed nations to help their sisters in developing countries.

I was moved when I watched the videos of what these girls go through. The total and complete isolation from friends and family was what made me want to help. The Fistula Foundation turns the despair and shame these girls' live with into hope and smiles. They truly change lives one girl at a time. I'm happy to help with their mission.

The Fistula Foundation cares for women with the most terrible childbirth injuries in many (17) of the world's countries where basic health care is almost non- existant. Part of their mission is training midwives and OBGYNs to care for women's health. The Fistula Foundation is on the pioneering edge of women's health care.

A truly amazing charity with a mission that helps women in need.

One of my all time favorite no-brainer charities. They do extraordinarily important work and do it well with great efficiency. Money very well spent!

I fell in love with this organization upon first hearing about their mission and work. The portion of every dollar that goes to the women in need is incredible - such an inspirational organization all around.

I feel confident in donating to this life changing organization.

This amazing organization provides fistula repair and post surgical care that may involve helping them find a job and place to work. I feel so strongly about this organization, that put them in my will. Virtually all the money they get goes right into fistula repair but they also have an excellent outreach program to teach people about fistula, how to avoid it, and how it is fixed. They want to eliminate the shame and stigma that goes hand in hand with fistula.

I have absolute trust in this organization to use my donations where they will do the most good. Their work is faithful to the true meaning of charity.

This is a fabulous organization that allows women in underdeveloped countries regain their dignity. What they offer women completely changes their lives. This is the one organization that I support outside of those I can personally visit. They have touched my heart with the work they do.

I've donated to Fistula Foundation for nearly a decade now. I am very picky about where my charity dollars go, and Fistula is one of the very few that meet my strict criteria. I feel that all the money is well used, transparency is high, management is highly competent and the mission and vision of the charity are clear. They are at the very top of my trusted charity lists.

Much gratitude for the amazing work you do on behalf of women who suffer physically and psychologically in ways most of us can't even begin to imagine. Your work is vital, your organization totally professional and accountable, and receipts always prompt and courteous. Nobel prize-worthy, for sure.

Fistula Foundation's life changing non profit organization for women who lost their lives and dignity
becuase of child birth. Any amount of donation you give bring new life for these women. Everyone in fistula foundation deserve apprecation and applause for their hard work.
God Bless!!!!!!!! Yasna

Fistula Foundation's work is real and verifiable. I donate because they change women's lives in the most personal and important way. I am pro choice in my political views; however, when any woman anywhere does bring a new life into this world, she should not have to suffer like they are without the help of the Fistula Foundation. I wish I could donate more but I will send my continued contributions and bless you all for this most life changing work.
Thank you.
P. A. R. Alexandria, VA. USA

Anfac was a 16 year old Somali girl in a refugee camp on the Kenyan border with Somalia. She was raped by 2 soldiers, 2 soldiers who then killed her brother who was trying to rescue her. Anfac ended up as a broken soul with an obstetric fistula. Through funding from The Fistula Foundation to the National Borama Fistula Hospital in Somaliland, Anfac was found, diagnosed, transported with her mother the 700 miles to the hospital, repaired. Kate and I met her there. Anfac was kept on at the hospital which underwrote her going to school, where she quickly learned English, computer skills, on a course to become a nurse while working at the hospital. This hospital provides free fistula repair and recovery facilities to over 450 patients per year. The Fistula Foundation has provided equipment, a bus to pick up patients, funding for over 50% of the operating costs of the hospital (the remainder of which is largely funded by the doctors themselves), and a wonderful, talented obstetric fistula surgeon from New York University (who operates, teaches residents, nurses and medical students) and comes twice a year. The Fistula Foundation has been doing this consistently for over 5 years. Fistula cases within 50 miles of the hospital have been reduced markedly and are dealt with on a current basis. The hospital is now reaching out to provide obstetric fistula education to the people throughout the Somali-speaking areas of the Horn of Africa and to extend their care throughout the region.

Why and How: Dedicated doctors, Kate Grant and her wonderful team at The Fistula Foundation

Less than $500 will change the life of a woman who likely was forced into marriage and then had a baby before her body was ready to give birth. Years of being ostracized for a medical problem. All solved with just $500 in one donation or in many giving smaller amounts. Charity Navigator ranks this group at the highest level. A gift to The Fistula Foundation is a direct route to helping women in horrible circumstances.

What Fistula Foundation is doing is very Biblical. Just like Christ gives hope to the hopeless and gives them a reason to smile again. Please let us join in donating to this noble cause. I suggest that more awareness towards this foundation is characterized by perhaps having a Fistula week in various Institutions like Universities in turns, in Kenya. I have discovered that many people do not know that such a movement exists. We have HIV AIDS week and Cancer screening every year when people also donate blood. Whey not have Fistula Week as well?

I got to know about this foundation sometimes in 2009 until last week when I needed to refer a patient and wondered if the foundation still exists, and the nearest hospital she could visit.

Let create more awareness please ......

Start with Nakuru - Kenya.
Ery
0726-418699

These people are among the rarest of the rare: a charity that doesn't spend inordinate amounts of your donations on "fundraising," "board members" or other nonsense that doesn't directly help the people they want to help. The women they help are among the most powerless and downtrodden humans on this earth: women with obstetric fistula.

It all begins with a community that disrespects women; little girls are fed last, given only the scraps of meals. that means they are chronically underfed, malnourished and very small for their age. Little girls are expected to do heavy work from the age of two, toting water and wood that an adult American would find too heavy. At the age of nine or so, a little girl is married to a man picked by her family and often a stranger to her. She usually knows noting about sex or contraception in an effort to make sure she is a virgin for marriage.

Thus little girls of age 12 or 14 are pregnant and expected to give birth to sons with no obstetric care or any intervention. When she goes into labor, she is sent into her hut with all expecting her to emerge ten or twelve hours later with a baby (preferably a son). When a day or two, or three go by, some of the people in her village may take action. Someone might pull the dead baby from her exhausted body, or she may manage to push the dead child out. But the worst is yet to come: the head of the dying child, stick in the birth canal, has stopped the blood supply to that section of the birth canal and the urethra. From then on, this poor little girl is incontinent. If fate is truly frowning on this poor child, she will also be incontinent with feces and urine. Either way, her life has ended, as far as her family, village and husband are concerned. She will be discarded, sometimes living in a tiny lean-to she builds herself, shivering alone at night as she waits to die.

The Fistula Foundation takes in these women with no regard for payment, and for the first time, she learns that she is not alone and cursed, she simply has a medical problem that will be cured (most of the time). She is given good food and plenty of it, and after her operation and recovery, is sent home with the first set of new clothes she has likely ever seen. She can now return home with her head held high, live with her family (or husband, if he hasn't totally discarded her), and be the woman she wants to be.

The cost of treating a case of obstetric fistula is pitifully small: about $500 for everything. A tiny amount considering the benefit it provides. I give because I hope and pray that my donation helps one of these girls and because I know that it is only an accident of birth that allowed me to be born in the developed world, to have plenty to eat, a chance to be educated and to marry when and whom I choose. I give because I am blessed and hope to pass my blessings along to those who have been seemingly forgotten. I can only thank the Fistula Foundation for bringing attention to these girls and helping them to have normal, dignified lives.

I follow their progress and donate to Fistula Foundation for years , it is a solid foundation backed with years of experience and true results. On a personal note i believe that Dr Hamlin should be nominated every year for a NOBEL prize and that she deserves one , it is our obligation if we can to help women get back their lives and dignity even more women in Afica . Maria

Fistula Foundation does amazing work for women who are relegated as untouchables in their communities. They're an amazing organization.

Hello, I am proud to have been the FIRST person to join the "Love-a-Sister" campaign many years ago: (https://www.fistulafoundation.org/pdf/newsletters/Winter_2005.pdf, page 5). I donate each month to The Fistula Foundation and am thrilled that so many people have found their way to this wonderful organization. We who can, need to support the health and well-being of mothers and children the world around. Thank you Fistula Foundation for this opportunity to do so.

The Fistula Foundation literally gives women back their lives and dignity. Their staff are the equivalent of miracle workers. I learned about this foundation from an article in The Nation magazine in which certain charities were recommended. As I read more on their website I was moved and felt so much gratitude for their mission and staff. I am honored to donate on a yearly basis.

I became aware of the Fistula foundation in 2007 after watching lovely Dr. Catherine Hamlin making a plea on Oprah for support of this foundation she started with her husband many years before ...at that time the organization was in dire need of financial support ...my heart went out to all those women who thru no fault of their own were robbed of their dignity way too early in life and forced to live as outcasts for the most --- and I was very impressed by Dr.Hamlin's courage to do something about it!
So... I became a supporter then,and still am one on a regular basis throughout each year - and even though I have other charities I like to support the Fistula foundation always had and always will have a special place in my heart! It's been a true gift to watch over the years how fruitful all efforts have been,and the restoration of dignity being brought to so many women thru a relatively simple medical procedure - thank all of you who keep this work going so very much!!!

As Louis C.K. put it, the folks who do this important work are a "good and blameless bunch". I'm so grateful to everyone at the Fistula Foundation for doing what they do to change women's lives. These women have been through such horrific experiences, and then are left to face a life of being shunned and shamed for something they had no control over. It is heartbreaking to say the least. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone at the Fistula Foundation.

I was first made aware of The Fistula Foundation and the problems these beautiful women were having from the Oprah Show. It touched my heart and I have been making donations to this fantastic organization every since. What a privilege it is to have a small part in changing someone's life! This organization is amazing.

I first became aware of this problem after seeing a television current affairs story on Dr Catherine Hamlin (a great Australian!).

Women and girls in developing countries are disadvantaged enough without being shunned and ostracised by their communities for a condition that is rare to non-existent in developed countries.

I will continue to support this great cause and spread the word about it.

I became a direct withdrawal monthly donor some years ago. I supported the care for one woman each year making me a "sister." I am so proud of that. Two years ago I increased my donation to help two women per year. A new dress and a new life. I so wholeheartedly support this organization that it is hard to express. All you have to do is imagine that you are one of these women. This organization is a life changer. Praise and thanks for your remarkable work.

I learnt about the problem of fistulas and the devastating effects it has , by reading "The Hospital by the River" by Dr catherine Hamlin.
The stories of these poor women really affected me , and I looked for ways to help.
The Fistula Foundation helps women in measurable , dramatic ways.
They give the women and girls their lives back. Truly from despair to dignity!
Unlike some problems, e.g. poverty, I believe that supporting this charity will help individual women and I am happy to help as much as I can.
Plus I just love that the majority of the money goes to help , is not used up in administrative costs and that it is a highly respected charity that gets the work done.

It was during the launch of Fistula Foundation and Astellas partnership in Nairobi that I noted the amazing work done by the foundation to help hundreds of women access appropriate treatment for fistula. The inspiring and dedicated individuals like Dr. Mabeya and Kate Grant who have put smiles back to thousands of women who had been devastated by obstetric fistula. Keep up the good work and we the advocates of the end fistula campaign shall always be available to offer whatever support needed from us.

In the relatively short time that The Fistula Foundation has existed, this group of dedicated humanitarians has already efficiently used the funds they raise to cure women around the world of fistula and enable the affected families to become cohesive units. Educating others who are not aware of how damaging fistula is to the life of a woman and her family has been another service of this organization. Using items crafted by local artists is an interesting promotion used in their donation process. All donations are individually acknowledged and the Foundation faithfully keeps donors updated on how the money is used and appreciated by those who receive it. Please give what you can to make a family strong again.

Compassion in the best sense of humanity. The Fistula Foundation demonstrates the better angels of our nature.

I learned about the Fistula Foundation after I had a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy. Due to a surgicail error, I developed a vesicovaginal fistula. I was blessed to have an extremely supportive spouse/family and friends and a skillful doctor who reparied the fistula. It was during my ordeal that I about the difficulties and treatment endured by women, outside of the United States, who suffer from fistulas. I read about the Fistula Foundation and knew that it was important to support its extremely worthwhile endeavor.

I first learned about Fistula Foundation through a documentary and was very moved by it . It had a big impact on me both as a mother who had two safe birth experiences and as a nurse . I have been fortunate enough for the past 5 years to gift one surgery yearly for a woman who suffers from this complication . Hopefully in the future I will be able to increase this to two surgeries per year. But, regardless of one's income and ability to give, Even $10 would be a show of support and appreciated !! This is a great organization working with a population that is so disenfranchised by their own societies and families. Fistula Foundation gives them the freedom to live their lives again and even more importantly provide training so maybe the need for surgeries will decrease in the future. I hope that in the future that I might be able to support Fistula Foundation as a volunteer too in some capacity ! Louis C.K. is right on when he endorsed them !!!

I learned about this organization from information I received in the mail as well as from a piece by Nicholas Kristof. I was stunned about how devastating this condition is at many level for women in impoverished and uneducated areas. I was impressed by the dedication of the doctors who repair the fistula and their assistants, For such a small sum of money a woman's life is turned around to a degree that is immeasurable. I have been happy to donate to this great organization for many years and plan to continue.

I have been supporting the Fistula Foundation almost from its inception. I am overjoyed watching the program grow from helping a few, to helping so many. The foundation isn't just applying bandaids, it is totally transforming individual lives. What could be better?

I've been donating to the Love a Sister program ever since reading the Nicholas Kristof column about the Fistula Foundation in the NY Times several years ago. I still tear up every time i receive a certificate telling me I have completed my donation and changed a woman's life. To think I can make such a difference for one person and the Fistula Foundation makes it possible. I started giving in honor of my mother, who modeled a powerful belief in human dignity, and since her passing, give in her memory each year. FF is clearly diligent with my money -- the level of contact with me as a donor is typically more about sharing important news, which only makes me want to give all the more. Bravo to an exceptional organization doing extraordinary work in the world!

I learned about the Fistula Foundation on Oprah which is odd because I hardly ever watch that show. I must've been home sick that day. I had never heard of obstetric fistula and was horrified not only by the physical aspect of it, but by the treatment of women suffering from it.

The beauty of this foundation is you know exactly how many women your donation is helping. I've been sending checks for about five years and am so pleased to see how the foundation has grown. There isn't any reason all women suffering from fistula cannot be helped. It's just a matter of money and time.

Learned about the organization via Nick Kristoff and I have been contributing regularly ever since.

I've been doing a birthday fundraiser on my birthday every year. I ask people to contribute and I match their contributions.

What I say to people is this: your contribution, no matter how small, makes a REAL DIFFERENCE here. A $5 donation measures on the scale in the effort to totally change a woman's life. The organization is extremely efficient -- the money goes to service -- not overhead. The Foundation isn't bankrolled by any of the huge foundations like Ford or Gates -- so what we do really matters. Go ahead, start small. Keep in touch and keep supporting their good work.

Ridge (in New Joisey)

After reading "The Hospital by the River" by Dr. Catherine Hamlin in 2004 I have been a donor and supporter of the Fistula Foundation. I share with other women the plight of these young girls forced into marriage at too young an age or end up pregnant due to a rape. Sharing with others what happens when they can not deliver their baby has appalled and shocked most everyone that I have told. We don't hear about fistula's here in the USA and it is not in the news. It continues to happen to too many girls and education is the only way to help bring this around to the public and the media. The Fistula Foundation is doing an excellent job is getting this horrible tragedy out to the public and helping change the lives of thousands of girls through surgery. If you have not read Dr. Hamlin's book...READ IT!!! You can not remain silent after that!

The Fistula Foundation funds reconstructive surgery for some of the most down-trodden women in the world. Often excluded from their homes, families and villages because they were raped or forced into early marriages, bearing children when their bodies are not ready for this, their birth canals are ripped apart when the rape occurs or the child is born and they become incontinent and worse. They are in pain, face ostracism, etc.

Doctors and other medical workers are trained by the Fistula Foundation to do surgery which has been needed in the USA since the Spanish Civil War. TFF has now set up in countries such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, Afghanistan ... places where abject poverty and lack of education affect women disproportionately.

The clinics that have been set up become centers for education and retraining for the women and their children who stay and heal, learn and thrive, become trained and become active members of society instead of rejected miserable people who die from starvation or worse.

I understand that for $450 you can not only save the life of a woman but put her back on her feet with dignity and success. Seems a small price to pay.

I saw a documentary about the women who were served through the foundation, and felt a desire to learn more about the work being done. Their service to the women goes above and beyond the medical treatment provided, as a true example of every person deserving dignity.

The Fistula Foundation helps women with obstetric fistula overcome their condition. Fistula causes women to be shunned from their community and this organization gives them their lives back. You can sign up to get emails from the foundation that tell you stories about women with the condition, ways you can help, and many other things.If you have the opportunity to help The Fistula Foundation, take it.

Giving a fellow human being back their dignity and life! What better use is there for one's resources?
Please give what you can afford. Such critically important work.

We are focused on understanding and helping in some way to improve the tragic lives women in developing countries face day to day. The Fistula Foundation is our favorite non-profit within this venue as they not only help support other non-profits doing similar work, but keep their overhead, as a percentage of total contributions, amazingly small.

We truly feel that this is one organization that can take a dollar and use it to it's fullest potential. We highly recommend that anyone with a desire to help other people consider donating to this group.

Hi

I decided to use running a half marathon as a means of raising money for the Foundation after I heard about the dire situations women can find themselves in - due to something that can so easily be fixed. I was really pleased at the response I got from friends and colleagues. It made it all the more rewarding for me, as it meant we were able to help a few more women, spread the word a bit further about the issue and what the Foundation is doing to help. Ann

I first learned about The Fistula Foundation when I read Half the Sky several years ago. I was reminded of it again in a column by Nicholas Kristof early this year and for Mother's Day I made a donation in honour of several special mothers in my life.

Recently I added a benefit concert in Geneva and heard Dr. Hamlin speak. It was a very special evening.

I was a delivery room nurse for many years and was blessed to see miracle of many healthy, happy births. I am also blessed to be a mother to 3 healthy now adult children. After watching the Oprah show many years ago that featured the amazing Dr. Hamlin, I became aware of the the Fistula Foundation. After watching the show and then reading Dr Hamlin's book The Hospital by the River. I knew I wanted to help these women who suffer the tragedy of their lost babies and then are devastated by fistulas. Since I could not physically help, I knew somehow I needed to do something , so monthly donations to the Fistula Foundation have become part of my life. I love what the foundation does for Women!! Restoring and Prevention!! Giving women their DIGNITY back!
I love the fact that through my monthly donations I can help a woman get her life and dignity back!!!

Thank you to the Doctors, Nurses and the rest of the very skilled teams that help restore these women. Thank you to the wonderful people that coordinate the foundation, Kate and the rest of her staff. You are the best!!!! Thank you to Dr. Hamlin and her late husband who had a vision. I am proud to have a tiny part in this great organization. The FISTULA FOUNDATION!!

I was touched by reading an editorial by Nicholas Kristoff in the New York Times many years ago and told many women in my office about the great work of Dr. Hamlin. I have donated to the Fistula Foundation many times since that date and continue to tout the work of her great organization as an example of helping women regain their dignity and contribute to society.

I appreciate the wonderful work of the Fistula Foundation. I have been a donor since seeing Dr. Catherine Hamlin on Oprah years ago. The Foundation keeps donors up to date through their newsletter and by email. I was touched to receive a phone call from the Foundation checking to make sure that the information on a memorial gift that I made was correct.

I have a great passion for the work of the Fistula Foundation. They not only do incredible work but also keep donors regularly informed of the impact of their dollars. I am so impressed by their very tiny team and only wish I could give more.

In 2004, while watching the Oprah Winfrey show, I saw Dr. Hamlin describe fistulas and the free reconstructive surgery that her hospital provided in Ethiopia. I felt overwhelming sadness for the young girls who suffered from this condition. I then felt compelled to make a money donation to The Fistula Foundation and have continued to be a long time donor. I know the donation is put to excellent use in restoring the health, dignity, and self worth of these young girls.

I first learned about The Fistula Foundation after reading Half the Sky. After reading more about obstetric fistula, I felt that no woman should ever be denied participation in her community because of trying to bear a child. I decided to honor my mother's memory a year after her death by encouraging my family and friends to donate to the Love a Sister program. We raised enough to sponsor one woman's surgery, and I decided to continue my support by making monthly donations on my own. I know that if my mother had known about this organization and its aim, she would have been deeply moved by their mission.

We have donated time and money over the years to help people and animals, but no other donation even comes close to giving us the feeling that were truly making a change in the world as the ones we have made to the Fistula foundation..When you take a moment and really think of the pain and endless suffering these young women endure, it is heart breaking..For the price of a weekend in the city, you can give a woman her life back, end her misery and she can become mentor to other women..I often wear the beautiful scarf that I received from Fistula foundation, when people ask about the meaning on the scarf logo, I am happy to tell them about this foundation and their hard work, and what a wonderful outcome it would be if they would donate as we have...Elizabeth and Donald Kaneshige

When I first learned about Fistula, I had a beautiful and healthy toddler in my life. I could not believe that such birthing conditions could exist anywhere in the world. Today my daughter is the same age as these young girls... When she was little, I would ask for donations to this charity in lieu of birthday presents. She had everything she needed but they didn't. After all these years, it is still the charity that is the nearest and dearest to my heart.

First, this Foundation has TOP rating on Charity Navigator (means EXCEPTIONAL re finances, transparency and results)! Aside from that, not long ago I did not know what a Fistula was. I believe it was Nicolas Kristof's work in the New York Times that made me aware. As a mother of 2 children I know what labor is like and I feel blessed to have the healthcare I have now and had when I was pregnant. I also have a daughter and cannot imagine her in difficult labor at a very young age (any age) and ending up with a fistula and thus shunned by the whole village. The important work which this foundation does is not that complicated, they are just missing the funds to do it more broadly. I believe that women need to be much more supported than they are in society especially in developing countries. I too get teary at the thought of what some of these women endure. Dignity is such a basic right that we really take totally for granted. This foundation is earnest and effective in its work (as well as with its communication with donors) and I am very very happy to be able to help.

This charity represents a condition that has the potential to change not just individual lives, but whole communities. A fistula can leave women isolated and unable to contribute to the community socially or economically, which can have huge knock-on effects for the individual and their dependants. The Fistula Foundation works to improve lives so is one of the most effective charities I know of.

I first learned of the Fistula Foundation when Dr. Catherine Hamlin was interviewed many years ago by Oprah Winfrey. I was shocked by the horrible circumstances of the young women with leaking fistulas. I sent a check that day and have become a long term donor, often in honor of women in my family at holidays. (Birthdays or Christmas) I have also recommended this non-profit to a good friend, who has family working in Africa to control the AIDS epidemic; and she has become a supporter. We believe in, and trust, this very worthy organization and the people who work for it.

I learned about the suffering induced by fistula through Kristof and WuDunn's Half the Sky and about this foundation working to restore life through the Mothers' Day Movement. After donating in honor of mothers in my life, I was incredibly impressed by the communications from the foundation and how they steward even small gifts to heal and restore. I will donate to them again.

I think the first time we heard of the Fistula Hospital was on the Oprah show. My wife and I have been going to Ethiopia as missionaries/volunteers since 2002. We thought we would check it out. Wow were we impressed. The facility was well maintained and the care provided was excellent. We have been allowed to tour the hospital and interact with the patients. We were treated with respect and I had the feeling that every person who came to the hospital was treated as an equal. It didn't matter weather you were a patient or Oprah. The staff is professional and the whole place is focused on helping the patient, many who are still young girls who should never have gone through what they have. The vision to help them and give them a second chance at life is a sacrifice few people attain to. Supporting this cause is not a waste.
There is nothing fancy for Dr. Hamlin to live in and nothing is wasted. When we last met her in 2012 she was still operating at 87.
I was impressed that what was a bare hillside when she arrived had been transformed into a small paradise, and Dr. Hamlin knew the biological name of almost every plant, much which was planted with her own hands.
There is a joy in helping the helpless, especially those, who through no fault of their own, are cast aside by society. There is no way to put a price on what Hamlin Fistula Hospitals has done for these precious girls, and no praise high enough to those who labour selflessly.
Sincerely, Jack Verburg, Canada.

Whenever I spend money on something that seems like a luxury to me, I put aside the same amount to donate to the Fistula Foundation.Their work is so concrete and so important. I don't believe that I can afford new boots when there is a woman in the world who cannot be a part of society because she is isolated by the horror of a fistula. I love giving to the Fistula foundation because it is really clear that the money I give has a direct impact and is used to improve lives efficiently and with heart. This is a great organization, well run and deeply important and addressing a cause that few people know about, and all of us should care about.

I don't remember where/when I first learned that there as such a thing as a "fistula" & how it
condemned women to a life of misery through no fault of their own. Some time later, after reading
Nicholas Kristoff's column, I found that there was some way I could help & began to
donate to the Fistula Foundation. I look forward to their newsletters to read about what they have
accomplished & hope that someday they'll be able to expand their operation to give life & dignity back
to many more women suffering from fistula. I feel good knowing I'm playing a very tiny part.

I first donated to the Fistula Foundation after seeing an interview with Catherine Hamlin. I was persuaded when I learned that Dr. Hamlin's patients call her Mother, that they are given a new dress and bus fare home when they are recovered from the surgery, and that they are encouraged to get married again if they have been abandoned. I like the fact that the FF is highly rated on Charity Navigator and BBB for efficient use of funds and that, unlike some other charities, I am not bombarded with requests for more money after I have already made a donation. I participate in the Love-a-Sister program at Christmas and on my birthday and will continue as long as I can afford to do so. The FF does great work!

I didn't even know what a fistula was, until I read an ad about The Fistula Foundation. I was horrified to learn that women, through no fault of their own, had to lead isolated, physically and emotionally, lives, unable to raise their children --- all because they couldn't afford an operation to correct a problem that rarely happens in developed countries. I am humbled and pleased to contribute to this highly efficient, caring, and committed organization. It is not often that you can donate $450 that will change a woman's life! This is my number one charity, and I am thrilled to be a part of such a worthwhile endeavor.

I first heard about the fistula foundation via a book that talked about how little money some charities actually contributed to their apparent causes, and how the fistula foundation was so amazingly good in comparison. As a result I looked at the web site of the foundation and was so impressed with what they were doing for women in need, that I was grateful to be able to make a monthly donation. They are really effective rather than being all talk and no action.

This organization has provided an outlet for me to participate in changing the lives of women I will never meet living in places I will never see. But by inviting me to be part of "Love a Sister" which provides obstetric surgeries to needy women around the world, I have been enriched and my vision broadened. The response of staff to my emails, calls, and my visit to Foundation offices have been warmly and humanely. personally addressed. My husband and I contribute to several charities that deal with global poverty, and this charity ranks among our most cherished. We hope to always have a relationship with the Fistula Foundation.

I especially appreciate that there are few full-time staff involved and that most of my contribution is being funneled to direct services to the women who need them through partnerships with hospitals and clinics serving women with obstetric fistula.

This is a wonderful charity, doing work that isn't popular, or high profile....but incredibly powerful and life changing for women throughout the world. It is our pleasure to support The Fistula Foundation and we look forward to seeing the continued positive results from their hard work.

I have been a donor for several years to this most worthy foundation. I know without a doubt that I am helping change women's lives when I contribute. This organization is highly rated and I know that my dollars are helping unfortunate women, not going to unnecessary administration costs. The handwritten thank you notes I receive for each donation are and added bonus!

Just think, for a few dollars I can help a discarded woman be restored to life with family, friends and her community. My heart breaks for the woman (women) who suffer from fistula simply by trying to deliver the child who has been living within her for about 9 months. I learned about The Fistula Foundation when information about it was displayed on another website. I have given almost enough to achieve one full restoration, but I am not there yet. I yearn for that day and then more in the future.

I read an article in a newspaper about the Fistula Foundation a few years ago and we have been donors ever since. I cannot think of another charity where donations make such a dramatic, life changing impact on a person's life. The Fistula Foundation does more than provide surgery and medical treatment. It also provides support and other services during recovery to prepare the women for their return to a community that often shut them out of a normal life. The emails we receive are not too frequent, which is rare these days, but when they come they are very uplifting and inspiring.

I learned about the Fistula Foundation thanks to the journalist Nicholas Kristof, and I am convinced that this is one of the best giving opportunities to change lives for the better. It is very rewarding to know that my money can help a woman get the surgery that she needs and regain her health and her place in society.

I had never heard of this particular medical problem until someone shared a Fistual Foundation brochure with me. I have been a donor ever since. This is one of the best charities that I have ever been involved with. I get PERSONAL thank you notes for my donations. When I send a donation at Mother's Day or Christmas in my mother's name, she always gets the card in a timely manner. I know the money goes to help these poor women who suffer so much and very little is used for administration. Please consider a donation to this wonderful charity.

lmc

We have been giving $1000/ year for several years, once we understood how easy this problem is to fix and horribly it shuts down the lives of otherwise healthy young women. A great cause!

The Fistula Foundation if very close to my heart because I had two very difficult deliveries. Long, long hours of unproductive labor. The babies heads were just too big. Finally, forceps were used to deliver my babies. Everything turned out well for me and for the babies, but had I not had access to good medical care, things might have been very different. If I had been trying to deliver alone and without medical care, the babies would have died. I might have died myself and if I had survived, I would probably have had a fistula.

The Fistula Foundation is making it possible for many women in poor countries to have safe deliveries. And, equally important, to begin their lives again if they have suffered the tragedy of fistula.

I have been a supporter since my first pregnancy, through which I received high quality prenatal and birth care, which I was sad to realize is not something women can count on in many parts of the world.

I've become a donor after a birth of my first child which was comfortable and painless. I realize it is not a reality for many women around the world and I am happy to support the organization that champions this important idea.

The topic of fistula is definitely hard to highlight, especially in contrast to more "feel good" type of causes; still, the organization does a great job focusing on the mission without turning the benefactors into faceless powerless victim cases. At the same time, it never falls into the 'poverty p0rn' trap.

I also like the organization does not affect the local dynamics/politics too much - I detest initiatives that are too disruptive/disincentive to the local community.

My husband and I have contributed to the Fistula Foundation for many years and it is one of the organizations that I admire and promote the most. I've been especially thrilled to see how their work is spreading beyond their original mission field.

I hold The Fistula Foundation up as a great example of how a well organized non-profit can make nearly miraculous (for the women served) transformations.

I recently became aware of the problem through a movie and about solution provided by The Fistula Foundation.
As a male, I am happy to contribute to lives of women in this way.

They do very important work and need all the support they can get. We need more resources and attention on this issue given its severe impact on the women it affects. This foundation efficiently channels resources in this direction, and transforms the lives of these women, restores their dignity. They keep donors well informed but don't solicit funds aggressively. And they never use 'guilt marketing' which I appreciate as a donor.

I learned about the Fistula Foundation many years ago and was appalled when I read the stories of how these innocent girls and women were ostracized by their community for what they were FORCED to endure through no fault of their own. To force a young girl to marry and become pregnant when her body is still developing and is not capable of carrying a child is totally barbaric; then to punish her mercilessly when the delivery is unsuccessful and allow her health to degrade to such a degree is beyond my comprehension.

I realize this is a cultural situation in these societies, but I would call it more a patriarchal tenet that I hope and pray will change as more attention is being given to girls/women worldwide and their grossly unfair treatment in so many ways.

I don't read much of Dr. Catherine Hamlin who was the one that first came to my attention when learning of fistula and her remarkable efforts to establish centers of aid for these patients. I do know that I am thrilled at the steady and widely growing progress this organization has gained through the years I have been associated with it. It is also very, very reassuring that this non-profit ranks so highly on the scale of those that can be trusted to use the funds donated for the right purpose!

Carolyn Marie Mason
Carolynmarie.mason@gmail.com

I learned about the Fistula Foundation when I saw the film "Half the Sky" on PBS. I was so inspired and touched by what amazing things the organization was doing that I HAD to find a way to support these efforts. I became a monthly donor, and I am so glad that there are reputable groups like the Fistula Foundation around to truly make a difference in the world. They are always excellent communicators and extremely transparent with all of there activities. Keep up the great work!

I learned about the Fistula Foundation when I read the article "A fate worse than death for scores of African women" By Morgan Winsor, CNN. I was so touched by what these women were going through that I HAD to find a way to help. I became a monthly donor, and I am so glad that there are reputable groups like the Fistula Foundation around to truly make a difference in the world.

Our faith-based group of Muslim and Christian women learned about the Fistula Foundation through a member who has visited one of their sites in Africa. We have donated for several years and have been very impressed with the work you do. Your informational mailings have been very inspiring. Keep up the good work.

I am a historian of the ancient and medieval European worlds and know about how fistula tainted the lives of women before surgery was possible. About 1900, when it became possible, it saved so many lives and psyches. I sought out a place to give to support this surgery and have been a donor for a long time. I was delighted when Nicholas Kristoff mentioned the Fistula Foundation in a column and it got more attention. Thank goodness for him, and for all the Foundation does, and for the donors and volunteers who help.
Pangur

I read the book Half the Sky and knew I wanted to help women through the Fistula Foundation. It is unthinkable that this happens, but there is hope through this organization. They give women their dignity and life back through a simple procedure. I would encourage any one to support the Fistula Foundation.

I learned about this organization on television. The more I heard the more concerned I became. How dreadful it was for these woman to have to live under those conditions. I could not imagine how difficult every day life was for them. The more I heard and saw the more my heart went out to them. What if this was happening to a family member and she had no where to go for help? That is when I decided I had to send a donation to this wonderful organization. Even though times are financially hard I try to send several donations every year. I told my best friend about this and she immediately started sending donations. We often discuss how lucky we are that we live where we do.

In 2009, I happened to learn about the appalling life-long consequences of untreated obstetric fistula among poor women in developing countries. I also learned that the cost of treatment is quite low and that treatment enables these women to resume normal lives. The Fistula Foundation has been a leader in providing this treatment around the globe and has partnered with other organizations to further expand its reach. Moreover, it has consistently received very high ratings from Charity Navigator as an efficient, well-run organization. As a consequence, I have made ongoing monthly donations for the past 4 1/2 years, I intend to continue doing so for the foreseeable future, and I have encouraged many friends to join me.

probably not unlike other thoughtful women, I can get struck by compassion fatigue and guilt.
When I found I could change one woman's life by putting a large percentage of my charity budget in one place, I did it. Now I do it each year and know both she and I feel better. That card that says a sister has been made whole again means a lot.

The organization does NOT harass me with weekly requests as many do. It also does Not use the manipulative mailing of cards or stickers that are a "gift" accompanied by fund raising letter. This tells me about the organization and is appreciated.

I find myself a bit envious of two writers who describe going to the hospital in Addis Abba. What a privilege.

I have been donating for several years and urge my friends to do so as well. As far as I can tell this organization does important and wonderful work to help women heal and restore their dignity for a relatively small price.

I was a Community Health Agent Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa and saw first hand how some women and girls are affected by fistulas. I whole heartedly support the fistula foundation.

In 2004 I went with a small group from my husband's Rotary Club to give polio drops to children in Ethiopia. One of our members had heard of the fistula hospital in Addis Ababa and brought some equipment to take there from our group. On our visit we heard a lecture about the amount of suffering fistulas caused so many particularly very young wives in the country and had a tour of the hospital on one of the most memorable mornings of my life. I cannot express how impressed I was with the joy the patients and the attendants showed, with the cleanliness of the hospital and the beauty of the grounds, all for the wellbeing of the patients. We were told how many young girls with fisulas had committed suicide after being rejected by their husbands and families. This hospital and those formed over Africa and some of Asia after our visit has enabled so many young women to reclaim their lives. I have never witnessed the dedication I saw at that hospital. Concern, caring and love for these women was evident everywhere we looked. I have been a regular donor even since my visit for I want to have a small part in this great endeavor. Mary Anderson Hill

Last year my daughter hosted a brunch and we were each invited to contribute the amount of money we would have spent on brunch to a non-profit organization. As a group, we decided to donate our "brunch money" to the Fistula Foundation. It was staggering to learn that our money was enough to provide surgery for a young woman. I am now a monthly contributor to the Fistula Foundation and am honored to help provide medical care for women.

since the day Oprah had the MD speak about the Fistula foundation, I've been given donations every year because all women deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and I'm sure they receive it with the help of all the people involved in the organization. thanks for sending pictures of women who were able to turn their life around. Charya

We had the privilege of visiting the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa Ethiopia several years ago and were impressed by the peace, serenity, and the joy of the women who's lives were being changed for a pittance. It was an island of quiet calm in the chaos of Addis Ababa. How often can you change a women's life for $450? And be assured that your money is being spent responsibly? This is a charity that deserves praise and support.

As a doctor myself, the work of the Fistula Foundation touched a professional and emotional chord with me. They have a very clear donation web site and I was drawn to the fact I could donation for 1 woman to have the necessary operation. Their organisation is very clear on where money is being allocated and the stories of the women helped are inspiring. This foundation does vital work in providing a solution to an easily fixed but socially and emotionally damaging medical condition.

My adult daughter told me about the Fistula Foundation after hearing about it from Oprah. It is a wonderful organization. I give in memory of my own mother now.

I became aware of the Fistula Foundation after reading an article in Christianity Today about obstetric fistulas. I also read Half the Sky and Half the Church and when I consider how blessed I am to have a wide and diverse group of women friends and a supportive and loving family, I cannot imagine life spent in isolation as a result of an untreated fistula. Such a simple surgery and such an incredible difference in each woman's life. I donate in honor of my girlfriends and send them Christmas cards letting them know that "our" contribution is helping another woman get her girlfriends back!

The people at the fistula foundation are angels on earth.They change women's lives and give them back their dignity. It is one of the charities I support and am grateful that I can--and that they can and do care for women who are suffering and may have nowhere else to turn to.

As a Christian I could but despair and pray for these victims and the terrible fate they have however, the Fistula Foundation has provided a way to bring a little physical relief for these poor women or should I say girls, nay children who suffer so.

I first became aware of the Fistula Foundation when I watched the film 'A Walk to Beautiful'. As a mother of 2 daughters born in the safety of the Australian medical system my heart went out to the mothers depicted in the film. The Fistula Foundation provides an amazing service to people that through no fault of their own are living right on the edge of their society. The foundation keeps us donors in touch with their work and where money is being spent and enables us all to help in a small way.

I have been supporting the Fistula Foundation for more than 5 yrs now. I am happy that I am in a position that I am able to help women who are suffering beyond our imagination. When I saw the documentary about them ( Walking to the beautiful) I immediately decided that we women who are luckier have to give our help to women who are not in the position to make decisions about their lives. Supporting the Fistula Foundation is an action of real compassion. I would recommend it to everybody since it is an honest and transparent institution.

I, too, became familiar with The Fistula Foundation through "A Walk to Beautiful." Learning one woman's saga, I had to do something to help my sisters. The Fistula Foundation was that something. A small monthly donation seems little to pay to return a woman's life to her. The resulting communcations from this nonprofit are modest and meaningful - and underscore that I've done the right thing. May we all enjoy our walk to Beautiful, together.

I love knowing that my donations to The Fistula Foundation are helping women dramatically improve their lives in a tangible way. I actually feel that I am changing lives by contributing to The Fistula Foundation. I like the fact that this organization uses the funds in direct and measurable ways.

First heard about this great charity on the Oprah Show. Certainly one of the great Non-Profit organisations in the world!

I love this charity. What it does is amazing. Each year when I contribute, I know that I am transforming the life of one woman who has been suffering from this miserable condition. I also love that this charity gets such a high rating from the organizations that rate charities-- the money goes where you want it to go. Thank you to the Fistula Foundation!!

My wife and I first heard about the Fistula Foundation several years ago. We really wanted to support this initiative and so have been donating or buying items from the 'gift shop' a number of times since then. Especially the gift shop is a wonderful way of giving something special to your loved ones and to know that a fair amount of the price is used for the direct support of the organisation. We also rate their communication and the way they keep in touch as very professional. Keep the good work going!

I love that I can help women in a very real and tangible way through the Fistula Foundation. What an incredible organization doing incredible and life changing work.

PBS documentary introduced me to the incredible doctors and staff helping to transform the lives of women. I watch my bank account each month for the $37.50 going to Fistula and relish in knowing I will have helped save one life by the end of each year. I am a school teacher who wants to publish children's books and then donate 80% of what I make to Fistula. That would be a dream come true. I can only imagine the number of lives in a year then! I was also warmed by having talked to someone personally at Fistula when I had called with a question. They are a small group achieving monumental things. I am honored to be a part of that!

The Fistula Foundation provides ordinary donors with a uniquely affordable opportunity to make a transformative difference in one woman's life. They communicate exactly what they will do with your contribution and then follow through. They offer the chance to demonstrate your feminist values with concrete action.

I knew that I wanted to give my Mom a special gift for Mother's Day, but wasn't sure what to do. Then I read the New York Times Piece about helping less fortunate Mothers on Mother's Day and I knew what I wanted to support. The Fistula Foundation does an amazing job from the start of the process to the finish - I will always support their endeavors.

I first learned of The Fistula Foundation when I watched the documentary called "A Walk to Beautiful". I was hooked. I used to give to several charities. Finances got a little slim for us so my husband and I agreed to choose only three. The Fistula Foundation was at the top of my list, not only because of what they do to help so many women, but because they are accountable for every dollar spent. I really feel like the money is not wasted but actually used for the reason I give it in the first place. With so many scams and such going on these days, I feel good about donating to The Fistula Foundation. My company has a program where we receive a $50 check made out to our favorite charity if we submit 10 hours of volunteer work. When I hit my 10 hours, I knew exactly which charity I was going to choose. I chose The Fistula Foundation. At the end of the year my company chooses a charity to give $500 based on the recommendations of the employees. I have strongly suggested The Fistula Foundation. Keep your fingers crossed! With much appreciation, Carla Runner

I first learned about the Fistula Foundation from an Oprah Winfrey show. I was so moved by the work that this amazing Foundation performs that I chose to donate to them. I will always keep them on my favorite nonprofit list for my yearly donations.

People want to make a difference in someone's life, therefore give to charities. However, so many times it is distributed who knows where, who knows how. I like the certainty that every year I truly do make an incredible difference in one woman's life.

I first read about Fistula Foundation in the New York Times, and have donated annually since then. They were also featured in the program Half the Sky on PBS. They are providing a wonderful service to sometimes very young women in very difficult situations.

I first learned of the Fistula Foundation when it was presented on the Oprah Winfrey Show more than a decade ago. It broke my heart to know that women who suffered birth-related fistulas were often discarded by their spouses and unable to interact with others due to their leaking bodily waste. As a speech-language pathologist, I was especially struck by the isolated lives these women were forced to live. The Fistula Foundation, through it's mission to provide medical care, surgical intervention, counseling and follow-up services, has given these women back their lives, their dignity and their very humanity. To be able to return to their villages to participate and communicate as accepted members of their communities is a powerful gift. I am glad to be a small part of this miracle.
Alberta Hall

I began supporting this organization after reading an article about it in the New York Times. I am very pleased with how much of the money I donate goes to providing services rather than to executive salaries and fundraising. I feel I have a personal relationship with them. I have redirected some other charitiable giving to this organization because I feel that providing fistula repair to poor women is so very important.

I first heard about this organization on the Oprah show. Since then I have been donating and for the past few years I have become a monthly donor. My life is blessed and its rewarding to know I am helping another woman whose life is extremely difficult.

This organisation deals with a very serious and significant problem that goes unseen and unknown by the vast majority of the Western World and they do it in a practical, sensitive and dignified way. I'm a male so cannot claim any sisterly empathy with the poor sufferers of this terrible condition but I was struck by how it goes right to the heart of the basic tenets of human dignity. As such we should do everything we can to publicize this condition, the awful practices and behaviour that causes it and the fact that our donations (coupled with the fantastic work of the Fistula Foundation) can make a very real and significant difference in the quality of life of each sufferer.

Once a month I wrote a small check to the Fistula Foundation... each month for a whole year. The money came from my own part time job. Doesn't sound like much? It's not really... one fifty something grandmother living in Ohio, sending a drop in the bucket to an International organization. But at the end of the year, I had given enough money to pay for one woman's corrective surgery. That's all I did. But oh, what a difference that will mean to that woman. I could trust The Fistula Foundation to see to it that my part-time-job-one-check-a-month took the money with the same sense of duty. Enough said?

Read about this organization in the book Half the Sky and decided to make monthly donations as this is a cause I believe strongly in. I receive a personalized thank you card for my donations and was sent the DVD for free of Half the Sky unexpectedly.

Have had nothing but wonderful interactions with this organization when I have had reason to contact them- changing address and credit card information.

I love that they do not send solicitations- I feel that organizations sending unwanted "gifts" and constant solicitation requests is a waste of money and only fills up my recycling bin.

Wish everyone would donate to this organization as they do such great work!!

My mum let me know about the Fistula Foundation. They do great work, and I'm happy to support them. The Fistula Foundation doesn't just fix women's medical problems, they care for the individual and provide hope for the future for many women.

Many years ago I heard about this group when it was still small and I began supporting their work. Since Half the Sky more people have joined the effort and I hope will continue to. It would be nice not to have to worry about fistula by preventing the causes, but until then, I am glad I can help to support women in rebuilding their bodies and their lives. I know that the money I give is going where it is most needed and is not being uselessly spent soliciting funds or inflating administrative costs. Fistula Foundation has always been very responsive when we have requested money be directed to a particular area, and they have respected our request to solicit us only once a year (keeping their costs down). I made a commitment many years ago to support surgery for at least one woman a year - if it is within your means, I hope you will too.

The Oprah show was the first time that I became aware of the Fistula Foundation. Catherine Hamlin was a guest and I was so struck by her humility and selflessness that I became an immediate monthly donor. Charity Navigator gives it top marks, which tells me that they are financially responsible and the highest percentage of funds raised are going to help these dear women. What more can a donor ask for from a charity than humility, selflessness and financial responsibility?

I first heard about the work of the Fistula Foundation when I read "Half the Sky" while traveling in Cote d'Ivoire a few years ago. The fact that I had also just been to Niger made it all the more relevant. When I returned to the USA, I shared my experiences with friends in Tampa who belong to an informal group called Women of Faith. Since then, we have been contributing as a group and are very fortunate to feel that we are supporting such a worthy cause.

Every time I hear about the women who are being helped by the Fistula Foundation, I am both heartbroken and overjoyed at the same time. To picture these women being humiliated and ostercized (forgive my spelling) by the community and even their own families due to no fault of their own, is tragic. When I picture them going to the Fistula hospital, being given the loving care, both medically and emotionally, that they need and deserve,I am so very happy and thankful! I can only donate a few dollars every month but I know it is the best money I've ever spent. What an amazing way to share my blessings, create peace and goodwill in this uncertain world, and just plain help other women whom I will never get an opportunity to otherwise meet. I wish others would donate even a small monthly amount like I do, more if they can, to help this amazing organization.

I wholeheartedly support this charity both through volunteer efforts and financial contributions each month. They contribute the highest percentage possible to actually help the poor women who suffer these unimaginable injuries. I first heard about them from a book written by the woman doctor who, with her husband, opened the very first women's fistula hospital in Ethiopia in the 50s. She sees the result of their work firsthand and they are on her very short list of approved charities.

I myself am a Pre-Med student, and my Goal is to become an Urogynocologist to help cure women who are suffering from Obstetric Fistula. I became a volunteer to help this organization and so far I am doing good at spreading the words about Fistula at my current University. The NGO is amazing and I am really glad they could help those women. I cannot stress how much glad I am that such organization exists. I will do anything I can to help them achieve their Goals.

I SUPPORT THIS GREAT CHARITY FOR THE AMAZING WORK AND COMPASSION THEY SHOW TOWARDS MOTHERS AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS WITH BIRTH ISSUES BEFORE AND AFTER PREGNANCY . I FEEL IT HAD BEEN A NEGLECTED AREA UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE POORER COUNTRIES, AND THE FISTULA FOUNDATION HAS DRAW ATTENTION TO THIS AND HELPED CORRECT AND BRING MUCH NEEDED FUNDS . A GREAT CAUSE INDEED I WILL REMAIN A GREAT GIVER AND SUPPORTER ... I FEEL GOOD TO BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH A CHARITY I KNOW I CAN TRUST..
KATHLEEN BRYAN..USA...

One of the most worthwhile charities in the world today. The money donated goes to help women, not to push paper. I will continue to support The Fistula Foundation for the rest of my life.

This organization does work that seems so needed, yet for many it can't be talked about. I was moved to donate by a newspaper article. They have not hounded me with requests for donations. I have huge respect for their work.

The Fistula Foundation is one of my favorite charities that i've supported for many years. They do awesome work in changing women's lives. They are an excellent charity which whom i will support for many years to come!

The work that The Fistula Foundation is doing is very close to my heart since I am a woman and a mother of 4 boys. What makes it even more relevant is that I also hail from that part of the world where women suffer from this problem. Although I belong to the lucky minority who lived and grew up in a medically-advanced cosmopolitan city of the country that is not plagued by this problem, I feel that I could very well have been one of them. Children are such blessings and bring so much joy. As such, no woman should have to go through an unnecessary ordeal to bring joy to this world.

As a woman I am especially concern about the treatment of other women arouns the world. The Fistulaa Foundation drastically changes the lives of so many girls and women in ways that are profoundly positive. With just ons proceedure she can go from a life of misery and shame to a productive and somewhat better life.

I have supported The Fistula Foundation for over 5 years. I love how open, transparent and communicative they are about how they run the charity and the various projects they support with donated funds.

I support the Fistula Foundation because of the work they do to reverse the terrible effects of obstetric fistulas. For $400 women's lives are changed and they are once again accepted back into their communities.

The Charity Navigator rates the Fistula Foundation very highly. The Foundation has maintained this high rating for a number of years because it manages and invests its money wisely. This is not a "top-heavy" organization and it has solid leadership. As a businessman, this fact is important to me.
Kit Brazier

I am glad that their is a charity out there that helps women with these kinds of issues. I can't imagine living in poverty with a medical condition that ruins your life. It is sad that these women are outcasts in their society. The procedures are cheap, so people should donate and change someone's life.

Excellent charity doing good work. Glad to contribute when I can. I hope they continue their good work in the future.

I stated my role as a professional with expertise in this field. I am a professional because I am a registered nurse. I am an expert in this field because after a difficult delivery of my first daughter I developed a recto-vaginal fistula...so, I had first hand experience with a suffering shame.

That was thirty-seven years ago, I lived in Vermont at that time...I was blessed with a husband and family to support me and went on to have a successful surgery with a truly gifted physician. Mine is a story of gratitude.

When I came across the Fistula Foundation I was overwhelmed because my sympathy for these young girls and women is deeply intense.

This foundation deserves every star I gave it and more.

A wonderful charity that makes life better for women.

I run a website that helps people to get rid of acne, which can be a totally devastating, isolating and embarrassing condition. I have set up a campaign for acne victims to raise funds for women with obstetric fistula, so that those with acne can feel grateful and inspired for being able to help a woman with an equally if not more devastating condition get her life back. I'm really pleased that the Fistula Foundation exists in order to facilitate the targeted use of the donations to directly get the women the help they need to heal and recoer. My experience with them has been nothing but positive so far.

I have no story but have been a loyal donor for several years. The Fistula Foundation has a four star rating with Charity Navigator and I feel that the money I give really goes to women in need. I learned about the organization through Nicolas Kristof's columns in the New York Times and there are so many stories of women who have been helped through their services, doctors and clinics. I think it is an excellent charity to support.

After watching "A Walk to Beautiful" and reading Half the Sky, I was so inspired by the work that the Fistula Foundation does on behalf of women around the world, not just through providing medical care, but by restoring dignity and empowering women.

How often does supporting a charity satisfy both the right and left sides of your brain? My left brain gets its due when I receive the unbelievably well-organized and detailed annual report from the Foundation, telling me exactly where every dollar went and how it was used. And the right side of my brain gets to FEEL the emotional satisfaction, when I see the photos and read the stories of real women and girls, who were suffering in the most tragic and de-humanizing circumstances, have their lives given back to them by the loving ministrations of the Fistula Foundation. I've shed many "happy tears" over the stories of these women whose lives have been transformed. I'm a lucky woman, born into a life of relative comfort and health -- it's an honor and a joy for me to help my fellow women who haven't been as lucky, to be free to follow their dreams without the entirely preventable and curable scourge of obstetric fistula.

The Fistula Foundation provides the medical care to repair the damage to the bodies of young
girls and women from childbirth injuries suffered as a result of lack of obstetric care. Many of these girls/women are forcibly married as young teenagers and then suffer continuing incontinence postpartum.
As a result they are thrown out by their husbands and families, left with incontinence and odors, shunned
and ashamed. The Fistula Foundations medical centers repair their bodies and restore their lives.
I am proud to be associated with this organization as a donor and highly recommend them as an outstanding charity that makes an exceptional difference in the lives of these young women. They increase their effectiveness by training others to repair fistulas in Ethiopa and other African nations.

i learned about The Fistula Foundation when reading Peter Singers book "the Life You Can Save". I was seeking highly regarded humanitarian organizations to make modest contributions to. My initial donations were modest just to see how the organizations responded etc. Without question the F.F. came back to me acknowledging my gift in the most professional and personal way of the several i had interaction with. They are a very focused organization who know their mission and are truly doing good work. I have been impressed with them in every way and will continue my support.

I lived in Africa for a few years, and I returned home with a strong sense that I had to do something to help people in extreme poverty around the world. The Fistula Foundation is my favorite charity because it is sharply focused on one goal--repairing fistulas. The results are both measurable and undeniably life-changing for the women who receive the help--and almost certainly their families and children as well. I've been donating to this organization regularly for several years, and I plan to continue for years to come.

I learned about The Fistula Foundation from watching, "A Walk to Beautiful". My daughter is from Ethiopia so we are particularly interested in organizations that benefit African countries. I am happy and honored to help with this cause. For such a small amount of money a woman can be delivered from a terrible existence to a productive and accepted member of her community.

The Fistula Foundation does a fantastic job of communication. The stories they relate are moving and encouraging. It is shocking how much this organization accomplishes with so little overhead cost. I could not be more impressed.

I have supported the FIstula Foundation for several years. This organization goes above and beyond when it comes to their donors. Periodically I get REAL photos in the mail of recent trips that the Kate has taken to visit Fistula surgery providers and Fistula survivors. I am continually amazed at the amount of work they do with such a small staff. I applaud their efforts in helping fistula patients as well as getting the word out about how fistula impacts women and their families.
Recently I hosted a party and shared the impact of fistula with my girlfriends by showing them the movie Walk to Beautiful. I then presented them each with a Fistula Foundation bracelet so they can educate others while they wear it.

Janet Reno is probably right: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."

The very least I can do is contribute some of my extra money to aid some of the most disadvantaged women on earth.

l learned of the Fistula Foundation through the Mothers' Day Movement. The endorsement of Nicholas Kristof tipped me off right away that the organization uses its funds wisely to support its very important mission. After making my initial donation in May, I have received more literature from the Fistula Foundation and become more impressed with the work this group does around the world. It's definitely an organization that I would support in the future!

I can't remember how I first learned about the Fistula Foundation, but I do remember the immediate connection I felt to these sisters of mine across the globe. After watching A Walk To Beautiful, I have gained even more respect for this charity that returns women not only to health, but also to lives of dignity. Truly what a beautiful work!

After spending nearly a month in Ethiopia bird watching, my wife and I wanted to find a continuing connection to the wonderful, gentle people of Ethiopia. The Fistula Foundation's work is the perfect choice because, through it, we are able to make a difference in the life of these good people one person at a time . We are pleased that the work of the Foundation is expanding to other African countries because we know it will provide much need help and improve the quality of life for African women and their families.

I try to give as much as possible to charitable organizations that are good stewards of their funds. The Fistula Foundation is without a doubt one of the most worthwhile organizations. Their funding goes to provide hospital services for a relatively simple surgery that restores a woman's dignity and her ability to be a productive, loving mother again. That is what it is all about.

As an obstetric nurse, I was inspired to learn more about this organization by a NYTimes opinion piece which cited this nonprofit as one of the top ten. I have recommended the documentary "A Walk to Beautiful" to all my friends and family to help increase the work being done by this organization. I had a nice phone conversation with office staff a few years ago as I needed help organizing my holiday donations in honor of mother and daughters. I cannot recommend Fistula Foundation too much!

I was looking to donate to a women's charity in Ethiopia as a memorial to my sister who was killed there in 1996. After hearing about this organization on Oprah I immediately looked into it and it seemed a perfect fit. I also personally experienced two extremely difficult deliveries that could have easily resulted in a fistula had I not had good medical care. I can only imagine the horror these women face with a fistula instead of a baby after their deliveries. I believe these surgeries are life changing for these women and I am very happy to do my (little) part by donating enough to fund a surgery a year. I have been pleased with how they have expanded to other countries and additional clinics. I feel they have good fiscal management of their donations.

when I saw "A walk to beautiful" on PBS in 2008 I knew that if I helped women repair these devastated conditions, in Ethiopia, we could get to the Congo. Not only this amazing amazing ORGANIZATION got to the Congo they are now all over the map helping women, now in 20 countries helping Hospitals, other heath organization, bring so needed help to cure a devastating Fistula condition, and get women back with their families, communities and the work force to better their life their community and their family!

I first learned about the plight of young women/children in Ethiopia while watching an Oprah Winfrey show. Dr. Hamel was her guest She and her husband had spent many years in Ethiopia teaching surgery procedures to doctors, one of which was repairing fistulas created when young women attempted delivering a baby when they were so very very young. Her purpose in being on the show was to let the world know about her work, since she was already in her 80's and her husband had recently passed away. She was so afraid their work would not continue without a lot of support from the rest of the world, and she was getting on in years. I was hooked by then and since have been an annual donor to this wonderful organization. Their appreciation is so gracious with regular thank yous, never feeling taken for granted. And yes, everyone should watch A Walk To Beautiiful, with a box of kleenex close at hand.

I gave to this foundation after having a similar health problem myself and finding it on Charity Navigato (a 4-star charity there) as well as reading about it in a Nicolas Kristof article. Empowering women in these countries is so important and having had a similar health problem, I know how painful and embarrassing this condition can be. I can only imagine how much harder it would have been to get treated if I lived in one of the 19 countries served by the Fistula Foundation.

A horrible thing to happen to any woman. Glad the Fistula Foundation can be of help to so many women! An embarrassing problem that is difficult to people to talk about. Feedback is excellent.

I'll start here: "A Walk To Beautiful" is a must see, and a story you will never forget. It portrays the most vivid account of women around the world who have experienced obstructed labor to do the total absence of prenatal and birthing care available to them- who as a result most often are left with the trauma of a stillborn child, and physical damage to their bodies in the form of a fistula (a whole in the bladder and or rectum which causes waste to continually leak out without control), to say nothing of the emotional suffering as most who suffer fistula are ostracized by their families, many with no where to go. The need then for the Fistula Foundation, and the good work they do to restore dignity and a literal re-birth into life for these women, for this "half the sky" is absolute and must continue. As a supporter of the Fistula Foundation it is my honor to contribute to this cause and to spread the word to the world about our privilege as humans in bringing healing, wholeness, dignity and life back to women. Where would any of us be without them?

I first discovered the non-profit Fistula Foundation through the book “Half the Sky” in 2012. One cannot say enough about the difference this foundation is making in the lives of women around the world. Their website makes donating a pleasurable, safe process. Signing up for their informative email newsletters and annual reports is simple and easily a tool to be used in helping educate others of such a great need.
The Fistula Foundation has been recognized for "good governance and other best practices that minimize the chance of unethical activities and consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way."
The pre and post natal care we in North America (in my case Canada) take for granted while expecting and delivering our children is still out of reach for so many deserving women and young girls around the world. Obstetric Fistula is a devastating condition that can be corrected and the Fistula Foundation provides this life changing care.
In our family for my birthday, Mother’s day and Christmas I ask my own children and family to make “my gift” a gift to the Fistula Foundation and will continue to do so and spread the word to all I know.

Such an amazing foundation for such a heartbreaking cause. Empowering women, bettering lives and, most importantly, saving them. I am very proud to be a part, even in such a small way, of this organization. I will continue to give support as often as I can.

I have been supporting the Fistula Foundation for several years. I first became aware of the wonderful work they due through the Oprah Winfrey show. They have grown from one hospital for women suffering from this problem, which causes them to be ostracized from their villages, to several hospitals in extremely underserved regions of Ethiopia and Africa. The Fistula Foundation is doing life changing work for women who would have no chance for a normal life.

I am pleased to be a supporter of the Fistula Foundation. They save women who live with obstetrical fistulas from a lifetime of isolation and cruelty. These are often just girls with no power or control over their lives. Friends of mine have visited the hospital where fistulas are repaired and give me first-hand accounts of the great work the Fistula Foundation is doing. I will continue to support this organization and the work they do for women.

Doing extremely important work with a vulnerable population, reducing suffering and empowering women to live whole , healthy lives free of a terrible, alienating physical illness.

The discussion of the Fistula Foundations work on Oprah introduced me to this amazing work. I became a donor that day and have been a regular contributor ever since. I'm very pleased to know that you have built more than 30 hospitals to help poor women in Africa and provide them with even more than surgical care but also with help when they deliver their next children. I'm proud to support this amazing Foundation.

great charity, does wonderful work for an area that was previously severely underserved.

I had no idea about the situation with obstetric fistulas until a friend tipped me off. I've been donating to the Fistula Foundation for years now, because they are in the business of helping women, not spending donation money to advertise themselves.

I'm proud to be a longtime supporter of this well run foundation and I often take the opportunity to tell others about the important work they do. Obstetrical fistula is a cruel and devastating disease effecting society's most vulnerable. These are such critical services provided. I'm confident my donations are making life changing differences in the lives of many girls and women.

The Fistula Foundation is consistently a top rated charity in terms of the integrity of the organization and the percentage of donated dollars going to actual services. Women's causes including medical services in many parts of the world need greater attention. I'm so glad the Fistula Foundation is serving women to alleviate the suffering of so many!

So grateful for the wonderful work that the Fistula Foundation does to address the dire needs of women that suffer from obstetric fistula. Their work restores womens' dignity, self esteem, and ability to return to society. Definitely a worthwhile investment!

I learned about the Fistula Foundation through an article by Nicholas Kristof a few months ago and have given a donation twice since then. The work that is being done to transform the lives of women is truly amazing and so needed. When I first learned about fistulas it made me feel so bad for those poor women who suffer so much, not only have they lost a child but they are many time rejected by their families, all because they were married off way too young. I am so glad I was made aware of this problem and that the Fistula foundation is stepping up to the plate to try and help those who are suffering while making the world aware of the solution to this horrific problem. I will continue to give what I can ... thank you so much for your work.

I read about The Fistula Foundation in the book Half the Sky. I was instantly moved, researched the organization and began donating. I feel they are truly changing women's lives, and I'm honored to be involved in a small way. I appreciate receiving the annual report, and also that they do not constantly send mail that feels wasteful. I believe they are transparent and great stewards of donated funds. I hope they can continue to grow and help even more women across the developing world.

I actuall;y sobbed when I read about these unfortunate wome with their fistula problem.. I am proud to be able to contribute to Love A Sister and know that my contribution goes straight for surgery to correct the problem..I have total confidence in the F istula Foundation and what they do and that they are using my money and not wasting it .

I first saw Dr. Catherine Hamlin on Oprah. My husband and I sat here and we both cried when we learned of all the women suffering from Fistula. I have been a donor ever since. There is no other charitable organization that is run like The Fistula Foundation. So many work extremely hard to help these women. Not a penny is wasted in soliciting more funds. Kate Grant and many others who are employed by The Fistula Foundation make very little for their hard work. This is not a charity where the CEO is pulling in $3M a year. The Fistula Foundation does not send out excessive mailings. Every penny they have is precious, as are the woman who benefit from those donations. I have divorced and my income was slahed by 47%. I continue to donate $37.50 a month. Why? So I can pay for one surgery a year to help give a woman back her dignity. I know where my hard earned money is going. For as long as I live I will be a donor to The Fistula Foundation. When I pass, everything I have will go to The Fistula Foundation. From the bottom of heart, and the depths of soul you must know that there is no organization more worthy. No other.

The Fistula Foundation provides a profoundly life-altering service to people in dire need, and does so in a transparent, cost-effective way (read the independent review on CharityNavigator.org for third-party confirmation of that). Their communications to donors are informative and moving but don't make you feel like you're being constantly dunned. I'm a huge fan of both what they do, and how they do it. They've been the largest recipient of my giving for the past five years.

After watching A Walk to Beautiful and getting to know more about the work that the Fistula Foundation does I couldn't think of a better choice for our monthly donation. Our money goes directly to help pay for this life changing surgery.

I feel that my donation dollars are being used to really help the women, not the organization. Also that the work is beimg done efficiently and truly changes the lives of these women and their families. Probably my most "feel good" donation.

This organization does so much to help women in the developing world who otherwise would be pariahs. Amazing work! Keep up the good work.

Not sure how I found this charity so many years, but it's very dear to my heart. To think that young women live with this horrible affliction, shunned by their family and community, when a simple procedure will give them a new life. I have already told my family that when I depart this earth I want all donations to go to the Fistula Foundation.

This is the one charity I absolutely never think twice about donating to. First is their mission - very straight-forward: provide surgery for women with obstetric fistula and in the process educate them, and their communities, about the causes of obstetric fistula in hopes of decreasing its occurrence and reducing its stigma. Since I started donating around 5 years ago they've expanded services to new countries and they've gone deeper into countries they already serve. So as far as the mission goes, it's a no-brainer for donating. What is equally as impressive is what I learned after a couple of years of donating; I started noticing that each year they would receive the highest ratings from organizations ranking charities. Their ratio of program spending vs. administrative spending is always best in class, and their transparency makes it easy to track their spending. They are one of the top ranked charities year after year, a rare and amazing feat. So it is absolutely without reservation that I continue to donate for myself; donate for friends birthdays; donate to all the mothers I know on Mother's Day so that they get a nice card from the Fistula Foundation wishing them a Happy Mother's Day; and buy Christmas presents from their website for my friends. it's a great way to help women around the world while also doing something special for your friends. A truly inspirational charity!!

I am so grateful to be able to support the Fistula Foundation. I have dealt with very minor physiological challenges post-pregnancy and it is astounding what some women around the world have to endure without access to proper medical care. The work of the Fistula Foundation restores basic human dignity with a straightforward service at a minimal cost. My donation will continue to be a Mother's Day present to my mom on behalf of what all mother's sacrifice for their children. Thank you!

This is an amazing organization that provides a desperately needed service to young women. We in the "western world" do not understand how difficult life can be for girls born in impoverished countries. Too often they are married off as children and when forced to have sex with their older male husbands, have their young bodies destroyed. Then because they leak and smell, they are thrown into the streets to live as pariahs. The Fistula Foundation not only heals their bodies but restores their dignity giving them an opportunity to live again. I first read about "fistula" in the novel "Cutting For Stone". I couldn't believe it was real and thriving today but when I did research I learned that it was. Thank God for the Fistula Foundation. It is focused and efficient in providing this desperately needed service.

I first learned about obstetric fistula while looking for summer internships in the non-profit sector and I was amazed by the tragedy of this stigmatized condition. When I found Fistula Foundation, I immediately knew that I wanted to spend my summer helping this wonderful organization and all of the women in the 19 countries that Fistula Foundation currently supports. I had an amazing experience, learned so much about obstetric fistula worldwide, and was able to join Fistula Foundation's fight to bring life-changing surgeries to women who live with obstetric fistula. At the end of the summer, I knew that I had to do more to help these women and I made a pledge to myself to donate the cost of one surgery ($450) every year from now on. Thank you, Fistula Foundation, for the opportunity to work for this worthy cause and for the work that you continue to do every day to give women new lives free from obstetric fistula!

I read about this organization and the work they do in "Half the Sky", a great book about women's issues around the world. Since then, I've been donating to the cause. What I really love about this organization is that they focus on giving dignity back to the women, not just fixing the problem, but also teaching them how to sew, or do a trade so that when they leave hospitals, they can survive. They also communicate with donors really well through newsletters and personal stories of women affected. Additionally, they focus on training local surgeons so that the impact is sustainable.

I cannot recall how I found out about The Fistula Foundation originally but I'm sorry I did not know about them sooner. The work that they do is so important to the women that they serve. Not only the physical repair of the fistula itself, but to be able to restore a woman's dignity and self respect...to enable her to be productive, contributing and active member in her community versus living a life of loneliness and isolation. How amazing this journey must be for these women...that they have hope, give others a reason to hope. I'm in Canada and I give a monthly donation that helps women that I will never know or likely meet...but I know that it is helping someone and that is most important to me...When I give to other charities...it helps masses...but this donation changes a life...lives...of real women around the world. My hope is that with continued awareness there will be no more need for a charity like The Fistula Foundation

Two years ago I made a donation to The Fistula Foundation on Mother's Day. I had read a piece in the New York Times about the organization and it felt like the kind of group I as a mother should support. It still feels that way.

I donated again this year at Mother's Day and plan to keep up this tradition for years to come.

I learned about fistulas and about the Foundation less than a decade ago. By raising awareness of the lives of suffering endured by these women (often children themselves) and by bringing medical care to them, the Foundation has become one of the never-miss organizations on my contribution list.

This charity captured my heart years ago. I have enjoyed supporting it financially, reading the stories of the caretakers and women helped, and praying for all those involved in this noble cause. In addition to a regular donation, they often offer beautiful gifts in exchange for donation levels. Many of my family members have enjoyed receiving lovely, high-quality bracelets and scarves for birthdays and Christmas.

The very best in development organizations working with one of the most vulnerable groups of people in poor societies - women in need of surgery for fistulas. Truly a case of life-changing and life-affirming work. One of the highest ranked US charities for getting the highest proportion of a donation to the people it's meant to serve. The charitable work I am proudest to support and tell everyone who cares to hear of their fantastic work. I've been a supporter & donor for over 30 years to the doctors engaged in this work. The need is great, the work goes on.

Great charity helping change lives at the basics. These women are totally isolated from their families & friends when they develop the fistulas (mostly caused by being married off at very early ages). Simple, cheap procedure restores dignity & allows these very young women (girls really) to step back into life on their own terms. I support this organization by having money automatically withdrawn from my checking account every month. They make is easy to donate & keep me informed. I learned about this charity on Oprah.

I am always moved by the stories I hear about the work of the Fistula Foundation. Helping young women who are often powerless in their lives to get the help they need to move on and make a new start is work I want to support. I became a monthly donor because it's the least I can do.

The absolute dedication to their work that this organisation exudes is the number one reason why they are such a great charity. Often you are not quite convinced by some charities, but this one is different. All my communications with them have been 100% positive and they really are incredibly professional and keep their supporters up to date about their activities. You KNOW your money is making a difference to women who desperately need help.

An absolutely first rate organization that deserves all of the help and support it can get.

I have been following the Fistula Foundation's work for about 7 years now and I feel very good about their work and am enthusiastic about donating funds to help their great cause. Keep up the good work Fistula Foundation!

I would like to review the Dignity Bracelet I received from your gift catalogue - it is a beautiful item and far exceeds my expectations - a wonderful Christmas gift for my daughter which I know will be highly appreciated. Very tempted to get one for myself now!

The Fistula Foundation helps women all over the world. Often suffering the injustice of bring married too young, having a horrendous birth, possible losing the baby, then finding out their body is so damaged from the experience that you have a permanent injury is too much for anyone to bear. The Fistula Foundation helps these women to regain their health and dignity, a basic right we should all have but sadly don't. Without the Foundation, what would happen to these women?

I first learned about the Fistula Foundation on the Oprah Winfrey Show. I was moved beyond words. I have a special place in my heart for this organization and hope to visit the Ethiopian facility some day. Thank you for the significant work you do for women and for giving them their lives back.

We learned about fistulas from watching a documentary we borrowed from the library. It broke our hearts and we wanted to help make a difference in their lives. Our family has been volunteering with The Fistula Foundation and so have some of our daughter's friends. It has been a life-changing experience for all of us! The staff is very kind and compassionate, and the office is a very peaceful place to work.

My daughter was only a few weeks old when I learned about the Fistula Foundation and all the good work that they do for those far less fortunate that us. I am thankful for all the pre and post natal care that we have available in North America and thinking of the vulnerable position that women in areas where there is little to no care broke my heart. After researching The Fistula Foundation I was very impressed and this is my favorite charity to donate to. On Mothers Day I make an extra donation in the name of all mothers and I have no doubts that the money I provide goes into capable hands. Keep up the excellent work and thank you!

The article I read on fistula broke my heart and I saw I could help by donating monthly to give one woman the surgery she needs. I am working poor with a teenage daughter, but we have enough to get by each month. I have known what abuse and poverty feels like. I wanted to help, because even at my income level, I can. It feels very good to know that so little a month helps so much. I only wish I could meet the lady I funded so I could hug her, tell her that she is beautiful, and wish her all the best with her new-found confidence!

About ten years ago I read an op ed column by Nicholas Kristoff in The Times about the devastating problem of obstetric fistula in the Third World. It opened my eyes and started me on a journey to help in whatever way I could. That was the beginning of my involvement with the Fistula Foundation.
The first fundraising event I helped put together was at the Waldorf Astoria in N>Y.C. I discovered that the Hotel coincidently was built on the site of the last fistula hospital in the City,torn down fistula had been virtually eradicated here.Our mission became to do whatever possible to do the same for the women of Africa and Asia.
My work with the Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees has enriched my life immeasurably. I urge you to study our website,see the amazing work we have been doing and join us in our efforts.It will be a most soul- satisfying experience. Robert Tessler

For over 30 years I worked with an int'l non profit org'n and interacted with many more. The Fistula Foundation has given me an opportunity to continue into my retiremt to serve the poor and marginalised, especially women. I met many women with fistula throughout my career, and wept at the extent of their suffereing. However, seeing the profound impact on their lives as a result of the work of the Fistula Foundationand brings hope and joy. I take my responsibility as a Board member seriously, especially around accountability, transparency, effectiveness and efficiency. The high ratings the Fistula Foundation receives annually from several charity 'watch dog' groups attests to its professionalism and high standards. But it is also an organisation with great heart. It is a privilege to serve on this Board - to work with colleagues who have a passion to end suffering, and to partner with donors who so generoulsy share out of their resouces. Together we are impacting the lives of thousdands of women.

The Fistula Foundation has helped women in Zambia through the Ministry of Health in partnership with Medecins Sans Frontieres-Spain in Luwingu, a rural district if Northern Zambia. MSF is running a Sexual Reproductive Health and PMTCT project up to June 2013. So funding from the Foundation has helped to repair fistulae for 48 women from March to October 2012. We hope the Founadtion will continue to fund this noble cause to bring dignity and joy to as many women as require this help. From: Winter Musonda, IEC Programmes Officer, MSF-Spain, Luwingu Zambia.

The Fistula Foundation has helped the Edna Adan University Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland, to complete and equip our operating Theatres. Once this was done, we started to provide surgical repair for the women who needed it. The surgeon was provided by the Fistula Foundation who also covered the cost involved. There are now many women who have been repaired and who are 'dry' and able to lead a normal life. Some have returned to their husbands and have come back to our prenatalclinic for follow upof their pregnancy ! This is the greatest gift we can give to the women who have suffered this terrible and humiliating condition that is an obstetrical Fistula. On behalf of the women who have been repaired and on behalf of our hospital, I wish to express our since appreciation for your support for the Fistula Foundation and for our strong partneshipto help humanity. Edna Adan Ismail, Founder of Edna Adan University Hospital.

I first heard about The Fistula Foundation in 2010 at a conference where I was working as an interpreter. A representative of the Foundation showed a video and explained the causes and the truly devastating effects that obstetric fistulas have on women’s (often young girls) lives – condemning them to an existence as outcasts of society, away from their families and friends. And yet these fistulas can be cured by a fairly simple operation, restoring to the woman the possibility of leading a normal life – giving them their life back. A lot could and needs to be done to avoid such fistulas in the first place, but given the prevalence of this terrible condition in many parts of the world, the Fistula Foundation is a lifeline for tens of thousands of women. I have been a passionate supporter of The Fistula Foundation ever since that conference back in 2010 and would like to invite anyone who reads these lines to go to the Foundation’s excellent website to find out more.

I love donating to such a worthy cause. To be part of helping a beautiful human being get her life and power back is a wonderful privilege. Such a small amount of money to us can mean all the world to a woman who has lost absolutely everything due to a treatable condition. I definitely recommend the Fistula Foundation. They really seem a no frills charity which means more money spent directly helping these marginalised women.

I have just returned from Western Kenya where I was able to witness, first hand, the women who have been repaired at Gynocare through One By One. The Fistula Foundation has enabled One By One to offer many more surgeries this year. Thank you to the Fistula Foundation on behalf of the women and girls being helped to regain their lives.

I am president of the Board of One by One at www.fightfistula.org. Fistula Foundation helps fund the fistula repairs we do at our Fistula Care Clinic, Gynocare, in western Kenya. Fistula Foundation pays for the fistula surgery and care, and we identify new fistula patients, provide transportation to Gynocare, and train repaired fistula survivors to teach their communities about fistula and its causes. These Regional Representatives also identify new fistula patients for treatment. We also have fistula educational programs in schools in Kenya. Working with FistulaFoundation has has made it possible to repair over 240 women so far this year and transform their lives. Great cause!

What the Fistula Foundation does is so important. When a woman with fistula is cured, she can do so many more things - focus on her family, her education, supporting herself financially. This nonprofit funds such wonderful work, and I am so impressed at their financial transparency. I really appreciate knowing where my donations are going. Five stars is not enough to give them!

I occasionally do IT support for the Fistula Foundation and envelope stuffing. They are lean and mean team dedicated to saving as many women as possible from the horrors of fistula. They will make the best use of whatever you give them.

I've donated to this organization and believe they're working for a great cause. Each case of obstetric fistula that is prevented could potentially save two lives (mother and child). The website has a mountain of great information about the problem that the foundation is addressing and I'm glad that I found them.

I've donated the The Fistula Foundation a few times now and the process has always been very smooth. Their website is informative, very easy to use and quite helpful in guiding the donor through the donating process. Not only is this a great cause, but I really respect the transparency the foundation provides so I can be sure that my donation is going directly to women in need. I gifted my mother-in-law with a donation last year and they even mailed her a card to let her know I made a donation in her name. Kudos, Fistula Foundation!

I have been a volunteer with the Fistula Foundation for about a year and I am very impressed with the work that they are doing for these young women. I enjoy my time helping out and find that the people that work for the Foundation are very committed to this very worthwile cause.

I have just returned from Tanzania, Africa. Sharon Howe from the Fistula Foundation put me in touch with the CEO of the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCRBT). I visited the facility in Dar es Salaam, and I donated $5000 to fund 15 operations for women with a Fistula problem. Without Sharon's help, I would not have been aware of this facility, nor would I have donated to this cause. Sharon and The Fistula Foundation are to be commended for helping me find those in need in Tanzania.

I'm a new volunteer to the Fistula Foundation, helping with some of the CEO's upcoming presentations. I'm deeply impressed by the staff's passion for their mission as well as the mission itself. They show great focus and a fierce commitment to improving the lives of women with this condition. As a volunteer those are two things I look for; I want to have a sense that my contributions have a tangible effect both for the nonprofit and the people they serve. I feel confident on both counts, and I look forward to continuing to work with them.

I started volunteering for the Fistula Foundation in December 2011 because I wanted to do something positive over my holiday break. I chose the Fistula Foundation because they were close to my home, and because I was familiar with fistulas after seeing the movie A Walk To Beautiful. I later became part-time staff to be able to continue my work with them on a regular basis. I feel that a fistula is such a debilitating yet treatable/preventable injury for so many women worldwide that I want to do whatever I can to reduce the number of women who live with this condition every day. The Fistula Foundation is making it possible for me to make a difference to women around the world, and to help women regain their dignity. The Foundation is run by a small staff who work hard on a lean budget, so that most of the money goes to fistula repair. The work I do in the office is not always glamorous, but I know every time I am there that I have made a difference in the lives of many women. Everyone has been friendly and kind whenever I am there, and I look forward to the days I go in. They make sure everyone feels welcome, and that everyone has a way to volunteer and make a difference. I would certainly recommend volunteering at the Fistula Foundation to anyone.

I have been a volunteer at the Fistula Foundation since 2010. While the tasks I help out with aren't earth-shattering themselves, I am so pleased to contribute to the organization's mission and always look forward to working with the extremely dedicated and enthusiastic staff at the Fistula Foundation. Though they are only a small group, they manage to create an incredible amount of support for some of the most marginalized women in the world. Their commitment to women's dignity in the face of fistula is inspiring, and I happily encourage others who support this cause to join them.

As a Board Member of the Fistula Foundation, I have personally visited many of the hospitals this organization funds to be able to assure donors that their money is actually being spent appropriately. My most recent visit was to Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There I saw first-hand the heartbreak of fistula. I also witnessed the truly heroic work which is made possible by grants from the Fistula Foundation, in one of the worst neighborhoods on earth, to restore these women to life. The organization continues to grow in geographic reach while holding down its administrative costs and increasing services to more unfortunate women.

Fistula Foundation has emerged as a dynamic, resourceful, creative funder in obstetric fistula, a condition suffered by the most marginalized and underserved women in the world. As a clinical insider, this organization continues to impress me with their efficient, respectful use of donor funds matched only by their skill at ascertaining and supporting programs and centres that mirror these results for the greatest good of the women served.

Hello! I highly recommend The Fistula Foundation as a magnificent and meaningful charity. I've been a donor since 2008 since I saw the foundation on Oprah. The mission of the foundation is so important and compelling. I learned that about 2 million women/girls in Africa are suffering from obstetric fistulas--which happens when a woman/girl is in labor for so long (no OB/GYNs, few hospitals, little transportation), that the pressure results in death of body tissue, resulting in incontinence and a life of social isolation. Horrible. I learned that $37.00 a month pays for surgery for one person a year. (Of course, any amount helps). They also provide scholastic education and counseling during the healing process! I love knowing that one girl a year has a chance at a better life due to my contributions to this wonderful cause. 4 girls so far for me! Go for it! Join in! :)

I first discovered obstetric fistula and the Fistula Foundation in a 2003 editorial in the New York Times by Nick Kristoff, and then in early 2004, I saw an Oprah feature on Dr. Catherine Hamlin. Both left tears rolling down my face. I was so horrifed by obstetric fistula and so touched by the work to rebuild these women's lives that I swore that as soon as I paid off my credit cards, I would start making a regular monthly contribution, which I began in 2005. So I have been donating for 6 years now and I just recently increased my donation by $10 a month. The Fistula Foundation is my top charitable commitment. I believe very much in the important work it does to rebuild women's lives after devastating injury, and I also feel very good about the four-star rating of the Fistula Foundation (and the lack of mail I receive in contrast to other charities -- just a few newsletters a year and a Christmas card) because I know my money is really and truly going to help women who so desperately need it. Since I gave birth myself in 2009, I have felt even more committed to the Fistula Foundation and more compassionate towards the women affected by obstetric fistula. I look at my joyful experience, and then I think of young women who labor for a week, lose their beloved children, and then suffer a devastating injury that leaves them social outcasts, and I feel it is my responsibility to help them. I am grateful that the Fistula Foundation makes it possible for me to do so.

I've been a donor since 2008 when I saw a documentary about the devastation to women's lives obstetric fistula causes. I decided right then that if I could prevent this tragedy from happening to just one woman I would have succeeded in relieving the suffering it inflicts on not just her but her whole world. I am honored to be a part of the Fistula Foundation and I tell everyone I can about the good they do everyday.

I read about this group in a newspaper article and was immediately drawn to the story. To learn that the heartbreaking situation these women were in could be helped by donations to this group, impelled me to sign on to a monthly amount. It takes so little to make such a huge difference in a woman's life. I tell my friends about this organization and urge them to step up and give whatever they can.

Several years ago, I saw a documentary on women in Africa whose lives were ruined as a result of difficulties they endured during childbirth. Each woman's life was described, as well as the damage that her body suffered and her subsequent rejection by the rest of the society, through no fault of her own. The stories of these women's lives were heartbreaking and I felt obligated to act and help them. I have been contributing monthly since May 2009 and I will forever donate what I can to continue to do so. The Fistula Foundation has been professional and forthcoming in any request I've had as a donor. This is a reputable organization that attempts to meet a dire need and I support its efforts with all my heart.

I saw a documentary on UK TV many years ago and was left with the memory of one woman who had spent something like a year begging at the roadside to get enough money (about a £1) to get to the fistula clinic where the problem that had ruined her life could be fixed in a short, simple operation. I had never heard of the condition and was horrified at the many complications it caused. Some years later, in 2006, I was looking for a new charity to support, remembered the programme and the name of the condition and found the Fistula Foundation online. I liked its approach of using volunteers, including doctors giving up their holiday time to go out to Africa and help, so that the all/most of the donated money could be used to help women rather than pay fat salaries and chuggers. I particularly liked their approach of helping the women to get back to a life, not just fixing the physical problem. Since starting to donate the FF has kept me updated from time to time (but not too often!) and I have enjoyed hearing about their success. The FF is a very dedicated group of people that have made a difference in a field that is not as 'glamorous' as the better publicised charities. I am pleased I can at least offer my financial support to people who identified this problem and chose to forego a comfortable lifestyle to stay and help.

I have been a donor since 2004. That was when I first heard about the fistula foundation and its work. I thought to myself what a great opportunity this is for me to make a big difference in an individuals life. Ane yes, I could do it again and again.
The foundation does occasionly send me news letter on what they are doing, however I don't feel chased and pressured to do more than I already am. They make it easy for me to be silent and know I that I am helping.

Just like many others, in 2008 I saw the very moving documentary "A Walk to Beautiful". The whole time I was watching my head and heart were filled with "NO! NO! NO!" I have always had some involvement with certain charities and volunteer organizations, but I have never been so moved as when I saw the suffering, courage and determination of these women and girls. I was totally ignorant about what fisula was.
As difficult as it was to watch the film, it was so incredibly heartening to see how much was being done and so successfully by the Fistula Foundation. I really look forward to receiving the newsletters because it is so reaffirmaing that what I give each month is going exactly where it should. It is also exciting to see the number of women in so many countries who are now being healed; their bodies, their spirits, their hearts!
I live about 200km South of Sydney, Australia in a small town. For the past year I have had a young Zimbabwean lady living with me as she was having difficulties. She was trying to live in a strange country without family. In Zimbabwe her family lives in a rural area with no running water and the housing is small mud huts. Recently I was reading my Fistula Foundation Magazine and she said she had picked it up to read it but was confused. I explained it all to her. She gasped and said "There is a woman like that in my village, she smells so bad and no one will go near her. She dressses up to go to church but nobody even talks to her. My mother said it happened after childbirth and that she had probably been bad"
She was really overcome when we discussed that it wasn't this poor woman's fault at all. She is planning a trip back to Zimbabwe and we are going to try to find this lady and see if we can help.
I have been very fortunate to have three very trouble free pregnancies and my children are now adults. My daughter is considering starting a family soon. We just do not see how fortunate we are, how safe we are, how protected we are from danger and humiliation. I have been contributing for four years now and thinking about the suffering of so many women and very young girls, brings me to tears. I am also so very, very greatful to the Fistula Foundation, to all the volunteers and everyone who contributes because the difference is evident and the difference means that individuals can walk again with health, hope and their heads held high.