Healing and Dignity for Annita
Annita was only 16 when her baby died as she was giving birth. Her crushing loss grew when she began to leak urine uncontrollably after her labour. Annita had fistula.
“I felt bad because I was wet all the time,” Annita said. “It was difficult to go anywhere. It is shameful to be wet all the time.” Girls like Annita are often mocked and ridiculed for their condition. And they can’t afford medical treatment.
Fistula leaves these beautiful girls feeling ashamed, alone and feeling worthless.
Because of someone like you, Annita received the medical and heart healing care she needed at our partner hospital. She said, “I feel better. I have found many other women with fistula. I have seen women healed. I have hope.”
Common Questions
What is fistula?
Fistula occurs when a baby’s head puts too much pressure on a woman’s birth canal during long and/or difficult labour. It cuts off blood supply to the tissue and causes a tear. This tear makes a woman incontinent, so she leaks urine and feces uncontrollably.
Can fistula heal on its own?
Unfortunately, fistula cannot heal on its own. The only way to repair a fistula is through surgery. Without medical care, these young women will leak urine and feces for the rest of their lives.
Why is emotional care so important?
One of the workers at our partner hospital shared that when these girls come into the program, they “feel they are nothing.” Most of them have lost a child while giving birth, and many of them have been sent away by their families, their livelihoods stripped away. The pain of rejection and abandonment leaves deep scars in their hearts. As a Christian organization that cares about the whole person, we believe that heart healing is just as important as body healing. We know that when Jesus was on earth, He cared for people not just physically, but also emotionally. That’s why we work to ensure these women know that they are worthy of love and have value and beauty inside of them.
