Because the need for obstetric fistula treatment and care is so great, the first clinic and admittance day is actually on February 6 — five full days before the opening celebration. The Minister of Health will tour the facility and cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the event. Surgery will begin on Tuesday and the grand opening will follow on Saturday.

Our executive director, Mark Shaker, wrote that there are already 42 women at the facility awaiting treatment. One woman in particular has been living with a fistula for 15 years and told the staff that she just cannot take it anymore. Although she knew the Danja Fistula Center wasn’t opening until February, she left her home at the end of December. It took her 30 days to travel the roughly 600 mile-distance to the hospital grounds. She ran out of money on day five and begged for food and rides until she got there. Mark wrote, “She could not stop hugging and thanking us.”

It is women like this — and supporters like you — who inspire us every day. Please continue to watch this space for further updates and donate today to help fund the Danja Fistula Center and bring an end to this horrific condition.

Over our many years of operation, we have met and helped heal a number of incredibly inspiring women — women who, through no fault of their own, have lived with the torment and devastation of obstetric fistula for months, years or even decades. The above video shows some of our most recent patients. We thought that you would enjoy meeting them as much as we have.

• Athletic Events — Whether you choose a run/walk, ski-a-thon or potato sack race, athletic events can be a fantastic way to spread the word, earn some money and have a ton of fun. While organizing your own might be a bit overwhelming, there are plenty of races and events that you can utilize to raise money for your favorite cause. The sky is truly the limit!

• Wine and Cheese Parties — For those who are a little more interested in relaxation, wine and cheese parties offer a great chance not only to socialize with your network but also to engage people on the issue of maternal health in developing countries in an informal setting. A little vino, a few plates of appetizers and a frank discussion about what’s really happening to girls and women who don’t have access to health care before, during or after pregnancy can go far to motivate people to get involved.

• Holiday Gifting – Asking for donations to a specific cause is less of an event per se than an idea that you might put to use at your workplace. Rather than suffer through the obligatory and awkward “Secret Santa” gift exchange, consider asking your company or department to pool the money they would’ve spent and send it to an organization working for the social good.

If you are planning a fundraising event for the Worldwide Fistula Fund, please let us know by e-mailing info@wffund.org. We appreciate your support and interest and would love to help in whatever way possible.

• 3 shelving units
• 1 cart
• 3 storage boxes
• 1 rolling storage unit
• 2 sets of towels
• 1 cork board ($18)
• 15 patient gowns
• 8 underpads
• 4 bedpans

While seemingly a bit mundane, these goods mean the world to our patients and staff. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support of our endeavor to end obstetric fistula. With every cork board, bed pan and towel, we are one step closer to changing the course of thousands of women’s lives. Each of these purchases was from the heart, and we assure you that they will go into direct and instant service as soon as we open the hospital in February (if not before!). Soon, we will also have our giving catalog back online so that you can designate exactly where you want your tax-deductible cash donations to be utilized. This is an exciting time for all of us, and we’re so happy you’re right alongside.

Please also note that we’re registered on Good Shop, a search engine that not only has coupons to a huge amount of popular online shopping destinations (Amazon, Apple, Home Depot, eBay, Gap, etc.), but also raises money for us every time you buy from one of their partner merchants. It’s a win win!

Get your weekend started on the right foot (and the left!) by watching some of our recent patients and their family members got their groove on at our new fistula hospital.

As regular visitors to the site might have already noticed, we’ve recently added an Amazon wish list of items needed at our new fistula hospital. All of the items are destined for the offices or medical practice at the Danja Fistula Center and will directly help our operations in Niger and the thousands of women we will treat. Plus, you’ll know exactly where your donation dollars are spent.

The majority of the goods cost under $100 and range from pens and staplers to bedpans and gowns to shelving units and storage carts. Some examples include:

Patient Gown, $6.99. Quantity needed: 30. 

Portable Laptop Stand, $44.99. Quantity needed: 2.

Disposable Underpad, $30 for a case of 150. Quantity needed: 10. 

So the next time you’re itching to do some online shopping, think of us! We may not offer quite the glamorous selection, but what we lack in style we make up for in gratitude. Each and every purchase or donation you make is incredibly important to us and to the women we serve and helps us get one step closer to eradicating this horrific condition once and for all.

Designed for students by students, the toolkit is also great supplemental material for professors teaching Half the Sky. So if you’re looking for a way to really make an impact this year, download the toolkit and start spreading the word — we can’t fight fistula without you.

The ceremony was held in the ward. The women paraded in and sang, clapped and danced around the audience, which consisted of their family members and all the doctors, nurses and local staff who made this happy occasion possible.

A couple of the patients shared their stories with fistula. Dr. Arrowsmith, Dr. Intengré (our new doctor who will be starting full-time when the clinic opens for year-round services), and some of the nurses also spoke, saying how delightful the patients were to work with. One of the nurses said to the women, “I hope you feel beautiful today.” The women broke into big smiles and cheered, clearly responding with a “Yes!” Then the women sang and danced to a traditional Hausa song of praise and thanks, in honor of the medical team and local staff.

Finally, after pictures and lots of hugs, it was time for the women to leave. We are optimistic that they will return and be accepted into their villages and families and that they will be able to continue with the life they once knew, with good health and renewed hope.

The women were truly a joy to work with, and the whole medical team was touched and inspired by their gentle kindness and strong spirit. We will miss them, but we look forward to 2012 when we can meet and treat more of these women.