Beyond Fistula

Priscillah suffered a severe childbirth injury (obstetric fistula) due to a prolonged labor, resulting in her giving birth to a stillborn child when she was 14 yrs old. The injury was so severe she has needed to undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries and is still not fully repaired. What is special about Priscillah, is her positive outlook and determination to succeed, despite her history and being bullied at school due to her continued leakage of urine. She hopes one day be dry. Priscillah has gone from being ostracized to now being the pillar of hope for her family. She and her family are grateful that she has been given the opportunity to be in school. She hopes to do well and become a doctor, so she can help girls with fistula.

Nivea is fifteen years old from Uganda. Both her parents have low income. She comes from a family of nine children whereby she's the first born.She has both grandparents living. She got fistula when she was fourteen years old and stayed with it for one year before getting treatment. She's dry now. She is willing to learn, and she will like to become a nurse when she grows up. She likes playing football.

Siantayo is a teenaged girl in Kenya. She has a mother, a father, and eight siblings - four girls and four boys. Siantayo was born with a fistula and has had many surgeries to try to correct it. Now she has a colostomy to manage. She likes studying and feels blessed to have support in her education.

Emmanuel is a young boy whose mother is a survivor of obstetric fistula. This condition made it difficult for her to work, and she and her sons were abandoned by the father. He has his grandparents in his life, but he and his brother and mother are houseless and have periods of surviving on only one meal a day. Emmanuel very much wants to learn. When he is not in school he loves playing with his brother.

After Brenda's family was abandoned by their father, she and her four siblings were raised by their working mother. She became pregnant at the young age of 16, and eventually gave birth to a stillborn child. She had a very difficult delivery and required surgery. She was fortunate to find a clinic in Eldoret that provided the surgery she needed to heal. During her recovery, she dreamed of returning to school to study her favorite subject, English, and become a teacher. She is now a studious member of Class 7 at St. Joan's Academy, and is on track to graduate in 2020.

Phelistus grew up living with ten siblings and her parents. At a young age, she fell in love with a traveling herds boy and became pregnant. Phelistus had a long, obstructed labor that, sadly, ended in her infant dying. She traveled to Eldoret seeking help for her trauma, and had her wounds surgically repaired. A Little 4 A Lot helped Phelistus with tuition fees and she is enrolled at Madira Girls School. She is currently at the top of her class with straight As, dreams of becoming a science teacher, and expects to graduate in 2018.