When Mary Mulwa, 21, decided to do life with her husband Mulwa Mulei she thought good tidings had come on her way. At the time her husband had just finished form four and she was waiting to join a tertiary institution for higher education. “I was a young girl and I happened to get pregnant …Read More
Tag Archives: FDSA Fistula camp
Happy to be living again
Twenty-Seven Years old Isnio Abdi is a happy woman. For the last seven years, Isinio has lived in shame. Growing up, Isnio was charming and friendly. She loved being in crowds but her once happy life was cut short by a condition she didn’t have knowledge about. She has been forced to live a quiet …Read More
My struggle with perineal fistula
African culture places a high value on marriage and having children. In most African cultures children are essential in maintaining one marriage and a broader social network with kinship. A lot of married women who are not lucky enough to bear children of their own are in most cases divorced. They don’t get the respect …Read More
Freed from Silence
Rahab Shire, a Garissa County resident sheds joyful tears when she recalls the rough terrain, she has walked through for the last two years. Rahab, a mother of one, describes her last two years as hell on earth. “For the last two years I would not leave the house and engage in communal activities,” says …Read More
Rediscovering Myself
A few months ago, Edith Makena, a Bachelor of Arts and Economy graduate would look at her academic papers and wonder whether they would ever help her. Edith has missed two interviews due to a condition that has crippled her life. Edith, a mother of one, has been struggling with fistula for the last two …Read More
Renewed Hope: Triumph Over Fistula in the Golden Years
Karen Umutho, a Tharaka Nithi resident is a happy woman. She has been treated for a condition that has haunted her for the last 25 years. Karen, a mother of three, narrates how she has lived in disgrace for a quarter century. “My journey with fistula started way back in January 1998 when I went …Read More
I lacked the freedom to spend extended periods in social gatherings
Rose Gacheri, 50, took a heavy breath when I contacted her for this interview. For Rose, it was a long race, and she never thought her fistula journey would come to an end anytime soon. Her story can be traced back to 1994 when she went to deliver her fourth-born child. During those days delivering …Read More
Overcoming a frustrating condition
Sarah Naiku’s heart skips a beat whenever the thought of adding another baby strikes her mind. Sarah, a mother of one, says she is not sure whether she will add another child to her life. Sarah, 33, narrates the events of what happened in 2021 as if they happened yesterday. “Just like most new mothers, …Read More
We sought treatment, but the medical fees were far beyond our means.
Brenda Jackline Khaemba sheds tears of joy when she recalls the life, she has lived for the last three years. Jackline, a mother of three children, lost the meaning of life when it dawned on her she was suffering from fistula. “I got the fistula in 2020 while delivering my third-born child. At the time …Read More
I am starting a new chapter. I have lived an embarrassing life.
Priscah Chepkosgei, 30, resonates well with the famous quote that, that which doesn’t kill you makes you strong. For the last 14 years, Priscah has been suffering from fistula – a reproductive health condition that results in the social degradation of women. “I became a fistula victim in 2009. At the time I was only …Read More