Latest News

03.29.08	“Australia's Mother Teresa”, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia by Kate Benson
10.19.07	“Money and political will can save women from dying in childbirth”, San Jose Mercury News by Kate Grant
05.05.07	Documentary “A Walk to Beautiful” wins audience award at the 50th San Francisco International Film Festival. Read the press release.
03.30.07	"Beyond stillbirth, shame: Women with a fistula", Reuters News by Elana Ringler
02.25.07	"They Think They've Been Cursed by God", The New York Times by Nicholas Kristof
02.20.07	"Hospital in Ethiopia offers hope for devastating childbirth injury", The Washington Bureau by Shashank Bengali
01.18.07	National Public Radio airs 9 minute report by Brenda Wilson on the Fistula Hospital.
01.10.07	Cupertino Currier and Sunnyvale Scribe (in California): "Repairing childbirth injuries, women’s lives" describes the work of the Fistula Foundation.
01.09.07	Fistula Foundation Executive Director addresses the American Association of University Women/Silicon Valley, describing the mission of the Foundation and of the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals in eradicating fistula.
11.07.06	Third of five mini-fistula Hospitals opens in Ethiopian city of Yirgalem.
10.06	Fistula Foundation earns Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating. Fewer than 1 in 4 charities evaluated by Charity Navigator earns this rating.
05.06	Fistula Foundation earns the Better Business Bureau's seal for meeting all 20 of the BBB’s stringent guidelines for Charity Accountability.
05.31.06	Fistula Hospital Liaison Officer, Ruth Kennedy, and Fistula Foundation Executive Director, Kate Grant, appear on Voice of America Television's Healthy Living show, hosted by Linord R. Moudou.
05.31.06	Fistula Foundation Board Member, Dr. Allan Rosenfield, receives Career Tribute Award at the Annual Global Health Council Meeting in Washington. Speakers lauding Dr. Rosenfield's accomplishments and contributions included: Dr. Nils Daulaire, Dr. Steven Sinding, Ms. Halida Hanum Akhter, Geeta Rao Gupta, Amy Coen, Sharon Cap and Fistula Foundation ED, Kate Grant.
05.10.06	The Globe and Mail: 'When giving birth means being damaged and shunned.' Obstetric Fistula strikes 2 million women world wide. Stephanie Nolen reports on the work of Dr. Catherine Hamlin and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in their treatment of women afflicted with obstetric fistula.
03.08.06	The Washington Times: See the "Letters to the Editor" in response to The Washington Times: Special Report, "Ethiopia's trail of tears" by Betsy Pisik. Letters were written by Kate Grant the Fistula Foundation's Executive Director, Representative Carolyn Maloney of Congressional District number 14 of New York and Safiye Cagar, Director of Information and External Relations Division for the UNFPA in New York.
03.05.06	The Washington Times: Special Report, "Ethiopia's trail of tears" by Betsy Pisik. This compelling article tells the story of women suffering with obstetric fistula and the remarkable care and treatment provided at the Hamlin Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Further mentioned is the support coming from political leaders in the United States such as efforts by "Rep. Christopher H. Smith, New Jersey Republican, to Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, New York Democrat, who are both attempting to win U.S. funding to treat... obstetric fistula."
03.04.06	University of Minnesota: Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights and the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota present the 11th Annual International Women's Day Celebration on Saturday, March 4, 2006.
02.07.06	Second Mini-Hospital opens in Mekele, in Northern Ethiopia.
12.01.05	The Oprah Winfrey Show airs "Oprah goes to Ethiopia." Oprah traveled 7,000 miles to see how Dr. Hamlin helps thousands of young girls suffering the unimaginable. You can read about the entire episode--complete with pictures and more about how your donations are being used--on the Oprah.com website. To find a link to the story, just go to www.oprah.com and put the word "Ethiopia" into the "Search" box at the top of the page. The search will also return a link to Dr. Catherine Hamlin's original appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004: An Angel in Ethiopia
11.19.05	Washington, DC: Artists for Fistula holds an Art Exhibition in support of the Fistula Foundation under the Tesfa Ineste Campaign.
08.16.05	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: United States Congressman Christopher Smith of New Jersey visits the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital as part of a three-day trip to Ethiopia. Congressman Smith recently authored an amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act to provide funding to help thousands of women suffering from fistula in Africa.
07.29.05	Santa Clara, California: In an effort to improve operational efficiency and maximize donor dollars, the Fistula Foundation combined its New York and California offices into a single office in Santa Clara, California. The office brings all financial and donor relations activities under one roof, while maintaining close ties with corporate and other east-coast donors through the efforts of President and Board Chair Kassy Kebede and other board members based in and around New York City.
07.05.05	Edinburgh, Scotland: Dr. Catherine Hamlin receives honorary fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
06.12.05	New York Times Article, by Nicholas Kristof, “The Illiterate Surgeon” focuses on the Fistula Hospital and former fistula patient and now surgeon, Mamitu Gashe.
06.06.05	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Mark Bennett, a native of Australia, takes up the post of CEO at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Mr. Bennett most recently served as Program Coordinator for Refugee Egypt, a Cairo-based organization catering to Sudanese and other African refugees and asylum seekers.
03.15.05	Sydney, Australia: The University of Sydney awards Dr. Catherine Hamlin the degree Doctor of Medicine honoris causa for her life's work at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. To learn more, visit the University of Sydney website.
12.30.04	San Jose, CA: The Fistula Foundation honors Oprah Winfrey for her role in raising awareness of the obstetric fistula issue by naming a newly funded clinical and training center at Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital "The Oprah Winfrey Center for the Women of Ethiopia".
12.01.04	Sanya, China: Ruth Kennedy, an administrator at Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, presented a seminar on obstetric fistula at the 2004 Miss World Contest in Sanya, China. Said Miss World Chairman Julia Morley, "When I first visited the hospital in Ethiopia, I was shocked and overcome that women still had to endure such conditions in the 21st Century. The important thing, however, is education. I think we have all been educated this evening and we must work to spread the word about the magnificent work that Ruth and her team undertake." To read more, visit the Miss World website.
08.11.04	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Dr. Catherine Hamlin is awarded Honorary Ethiopian Citizenship in recognition of her 45 years of service to Ethiopia's women. Lord Mayor of Addis Ababa Ato Akebe Ogubay presented Dr. Hamlin with the recognition at a dinner attended by 350 government officials, business leaders and foreign dignitaries.
07.06.04	New York City, NY: Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is named laureate of the 2004 United Nations Population Award in the institution category. Dr. Hamlin travels to New York City to accept the award. The Award is given annually to individuals and institutions for their outstanding work in the field of population and in the improvement of the health and welfare of individuals. Dr. Hamlin accepts the award on behalf of the hospital during a ceremony at the United Nations.
07.01.04	American Friends Foundation for Childbirth Injuries (AFFCI) formally changes its name to The Fistula Foundation.
06.12.04	Chicago, IL: The American Medical Association Foundation awards Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital the 2003 Dr. Nathan Davis Outstanding Global Health Initiative Award. This award recognizes institutions that contribute greatly to public health through medical treatment, offer better access to quality health care for an underserved patient population, and provide innovative patient care to at-risk individuals through targeted medical treatment or research. Each honoree receives a grant of $20,000 administered through the AMA Foundation.
05.19.04	The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announces a $50,000 unrestricted grant to AFFCI.
05.01.04	Washington DC: Fistula Hospital co-founder, Dr. Catherine Hamlin, is honored with the Global Health Council's Best Practices in Global Health Award. This award is given to celebrate and highlight the efforts of people dedicated to improving the health of disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations and to recognize programs that effectively demonstrate the link between health, poverty and development.
04.30.04	AFFCI joins forces with Engel Brothers Media and Women Make Movies to produce A Walk to Beautiful, a feature-length documentary film about obstetric fistula and Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. The intent of the film is to provide insight into and understanding of the tragedy of obstetric fistula while highlighting the restoration of hope, dignity and health offered by a special hospital for fistula patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
03.15.04	Sydney, Australia: Dr. Catherine Hamlin is named one of Australia's Living Treasures by the Australian National Trust.
01.25.04	Johnson & Johnson Company announces a $250,000 grant to AFFCI for fistula prevention and education efforts.
01.16.04	Chicago, IL: Dr. Catherine Hamlin speaks of the plight of women devastated by fistula on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
01.12.04	Tanzania women's pains of poverty, BBC News by Daniel Dickinson
01.03.04	Obstetric Fistula: The international response [PDF], The Lancet by France Donnay & Laura Weil
12.01.03	Fistula Hospital restores health and hope to Ethiopian women [PDF], Bulletin of The American College of Surgeons by Diane Schneidman
12.11.03	Give Your Heart a Home (radio broadcast), The 'Get Ready For Love' Show, wsradio.com hosted by Viveca Stone
11.01.03	Inside the Fistula Project, Tadias Magazine by Tseday Alehegn
12.01.03	Fighting Fistula; 50 Women Who Made a Difference, Ms. Magazine by Kari Browne
10.01.03	Making Miracles Happen [PDF], University of Sydney Gazette by Be Bonham
07.21.03	Restoring Health and Dignity, AusAID's Focus Magazine
06.19.03	Pregnancy Illness Devastates 100,000 Women Yearly, Inter Press Service News Agency by Haider Rizvi
05.16.03	Alone and Ashamed, The New York Times by Nicholas Kristof
11.29.02	ETHIOPIA: Interview with Dr. Catherine Hamlin, IRIN News
07.01.02	The Fistula Hospital, Addis Ababa [PDF], Surgeons' News by Gordon Williams
08.07.01	"Death is death whether it occurs on the end of a bullet or giving birth" [PDF], Canadian Medical Association Journal by Donalee Moulton
03.21.01	Fistula Women (radio broadcast), The Science Show, BBC World Service reported by Pauline Newman