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Ethiopia (often known outside the country as "Abyssinia") is a
land-locked country and largely isolated. It is one of the oldest
Christian countries, converted in the 4th Century. There are 83 languages spoken
(and about 250 dialects) but the main one is Amharic.
The principal river is the Blue Nile but it is not used for
navigation as it is a torrent in the rainy season and a trickle in the dry
season. The
terrain is extremely difficult as it is very mountainous. Only a few
major roads are all-weather and the rest are dry-season roads. There is a
single railway line - from Addis Ababa to Djibouti on the Gulf of Aden.
In Ethiopia, 25% of women die in pregnancy-related complications
and 8% die in obstructed labour. In the developed world, these same women
would be properly treated and emerge with a healthy baby and without serious
consequences to their own health.
Obstructed labour, if it doesn't result in death, often leads to
a still-born child, and vaginal injuries to the mother, leaving her incontinent
of urine and/or faeces. They then become outcasts in their societies.
They arrive at the Fistula hospital by bus, lorry and on foot, having been
abandoned by all around them but here are welcomed with love and affection.
They are often in a very confused and emaciated state, dirty and unclean because
of their condition. |
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We receive many generous donations for our work and many
blankets for the ladies in the hospital who don't feel properly dressed
without a shawl. This photo shows a particularly vivid and attractive
display of one church's efforts to help us. In
2011, Wigston Road Methodist Church, Carlisle, gave us 80 blankets (shawls)
and £450 towards the cost of postage. Also, the Carlisle Methodist Circuit
donated to Hamlin Fistula UK £3,505.25. Our grateful thanks go to them
and all our donors. |
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They are generally restored to health within three weeks.
They leave the hospital in a new dress, with some food and sufficient money
to get them home. In spite of the very hard life in
the country, Ethiopians are generally a very happy people and extremely
hospitable. Here are some photos of them enjoying their national food
with some "ferenjis" (foreigners).
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