Soroptimist International Past President, Margaret Lobo, has shared an update received from ‘Hamlin Fistula International’ – the project partner for the 2007 December 10th Appeal, ‘Restoring Dignity – Securing a Future’.

As she shared in her SoroptiVoice blog last week,  the 2007 appeal supported the Adis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, and annexed projects. As part of the appeal, SI
funded the Juniper Café at Desta Mender Village. Desta
Mender is a site dedicated to the rehabilitation of women who have suffered severe
injuries during childbirth as a result of having no access to skilled medical
assistance. Some of the women treated by Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital cannot be fully repaired and so
suffer ongoing problems of incontinence or may have a “Stoma” bag attached to
collect urine as their bladder system is not functioning. These women need training
in literacy, basic health management for their condition and skills development
to enable them to build confidence towards independent living for the future.

At
present Desta Mender is home to 35-50
women residents who are engaged in a range of training and income generation activities.

The rehabilitation and training program in Desta
Mender has three Components. The orientation
lessons introduce the residents to life in Desta Mender and what possibilities exist for their futures. The training and development
lessons comprise of adult non-formal education and the livelihood
training programs. The final program is the
re-integration component.

Funds raised by Soroptimist International continue to support the vital work at Desta Mender village and we have been delighted to learn of three additional projects which have made use of SI funds: A dairy, a small restaurant and a sewing/tailoring business. These three projects have been established away from Desta Mender to allow the women to independently use the skills they have acquired at Desta Mender, and to engage with those outside of the Desta Menda community –  a vital part of re-integration.

Margaret Lobo recently received this update from the Executive of Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund in Australia, James Grainger:

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"When I was
in Ethiopia I made a special point of seeing two of the
sites where these business are being established.  I have attached some images of the construction phase of the sewing and tailoring business
and the café restaurant business.

Restaurant going up!

Tailoring and sewing centre under construction

The restaurant and sewing businesses are
located on the road to Desta Mender.  The restaurant / café will service
an administration
centre and police station. It is also located on the main road so,
hopefully, it will entice passers by to purchase its refreshments and
food. The sewing business is located on the road into Desta Mender close to the new Midwifery
College.  The women will do sewing and
repairs for the Hospital as well as make items to sell to the general
public. 

 

Finished restuarant, and admin buildings – open for business!

The Juniper Café continues to operate successfully and has a regular trade of
customers which is great.  I enjoyed lunch there in June with a number of
other overseas visitors. The Desta Mender facilitators are also doing a
great job in getting the women to think about their futures and plan what they
want to do with their lives. They spoke to us at some length whilst we
were there.  It is from this program that some of the women are being
encouraged and inspired to establish the new dairy, restaurant and
tailoring/sewing businesses."

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The general objective of the women self help projects is to support
and empower the target beneficiaries to commence a sustainable and self-reliant
life, re-integrated within local communities. In short,  “restoring dignity and securing
future life”. Specific objectives are:

1. To
   engage each beneficiary woman in a business activity to ensure a sustainable
   source of income for their future life.
2. To
   strengthen the women’s decision making ability to solve their social and
   financial problems through their collective effort.
3. To
   support the target women to resettle back within society and begin a new life
   with dignity and respect.

SI is excited that the funds raised by our international membership in 2007/2008 are still changing the lives of women in Ethiopia in new ways, providing new life-changing opportunties for a previously vulnerable and forgotten group of women.

For more information on the 2007 December 10th Appeal, click here.

For more information about the Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund, click here.

For information on Desta Mender village, click here.