HOPE Foundation for Women and

Children of Bangladesh

Obstetric Fistula Team

Featured program for May 2014

The HOPE Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh will train a team to provide year-round treatment for obstetric fistula and an outreach program for fistula awareness and prevention in southeastern Bangladesh.

May 2014

What are we supporting?

• First year salaries for a team of physician, nurse, social worker, and outreach coordinator.

The $45,000 2-year grant pays for:

“When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.” Kofi Annan

• The cost of essential equipment, workshops and workshop materials• Outreach coordinator networking travel (24 trips to rural villages by rickshaw) • Donations to help run Mother's Club's workshops which provide local support in

the villages.

Obstetric fistulas exist in underdeveloped countries where many women give birth at home with an untrained birth attendant.

May 2014

Life Challenges of Women and Girls

• Lack of information about sexual and maternal health Open discussion of sexual and maternal health issues is taboo across all of Bangladesh

• Local tradition of home birth90% of rural women in Bangladesh give birth at home with no trained personnel present

• Early pregnancyPregnancy under the age of 18 is dangerous because a girl’s pelvis may not be sufficiently developed for safe birth

• No awareness of fistula prevention or repairWomen suffer needlessly from difficult births and fistula because they don’t know how to prevent them and don’t know that fistulas can be repaired

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Create a trained Obstetric Fistula team to support the Fistula Program at HOPE hospital

May 2014

The Program

• Obstetric Fistula Team • Physician• Nurse• Social worker• Outreach coordinator

• Responsibilities• Support fistula surgeons at HOPE Hospital• Identify and schedule surgery for fistula

sufferers• Work with Mothers’ Clubs to conduct

workshops and disseminate sexual and maternal health information

• Travel to remote areas to network, inform, and identify untreated fistula sufferers

Program BudgetDFW’s grant to HOPE Foundation is $45,000 over a two year period.

May 2014

Because this surgery can restore a woman’s life, her role in her family, and her relationship with the community.

May 2014

Why we Love this Program

• The outreach program identifies women who would benefit from the surgery.

• The awareness and prevention program helps educate women and birth attendants about safer pregnancy and birth.

• The women in the program can become advocates, sources of information, and role models for the women in their community.

• Successful advocates have the opportunity for training to become future members of the Obstetric Fistula Team.

The program brings hope and new life to ostracized and abandoned women.

Every woman treated for obstetric fistula is a success story.

May 2014

Evidence of Success

• Number of women who join the Mothers’ Clubs and help promote HOPE as a resource for safer pregnancies and births.

“Success is the increase in the number of fistula survivors who become representatives for HOPE in the fight against obstetric fistula.”

The HOPE Foundation

• Average number of fistula surgeries annually compared with fistula surgeries in the district and in the country • Number of fistula camps and service

provided at the regional medical centers.• Number of women receiving sexual and

reproductive health information

Success is measured by increasing:

HOPE Foundation was created to provide medical care to the most neglected mothers and children in Bangladesh

May 2014

About the Organization

• HOPE was founded in 1999 by Dr. Iftikher Mahmood, a native of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

• The Foundation set up a hospital and 8 medical clinics in rural areas of Bangladesh to provide primary and specialized healthcare to the poor.

• HOPE partners with the Fistula Foundation to find, treat, and prevent obstetric fistula.

HOPE Hospital

The sandy beaches of Cox’s Bazar attract tourists, the chief industry of the region. But outside of the cities, the area is impoverished, lacking good transportation and adequate healthcare.

1. Obstetric fistula is a widespread problem among the poor of Bangladesh. What are the issues that perpetuate the problem?

2. What are the elements of the Obstetric Fistula Team’s approach that are likely to make it successful?

3. How does the program’s approach of education and assistance help them encourage women to choose prenatal care and delivery with a trained midwife over a traditional birth attendant?

May 2014

Questions for DiscussionCare to share your thoughts?