Direct Relief

Rosine, an 18-year-old woman, sustained a fistula while attempting to give birth to her first child at a local health post. Three days afterwards, she started leaking urine. “I lost the baby, and contracted fistula. My fear was enormous, and my despair fatal,” Rosine reportedly said at the time. Fortunately, medical providers at the health post referred her to HEAL Africa, a hospital in Goma providing fistula repair surgery at no cost. Remembering that her late grandmother experienced a similar situation, Rosine had believed that her condition was incurable and felt completely hopeless.