Happy and Healthy

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

“Who I blamed every day, was God,” said 27 year old Yasehalm Mirach. “Why I had to stay alive instead of dying? I never thought a day would come for me, when I could see the light,” she says, remembering the darkest and most painful days.

Yeshalem lost her mother when she was a child. The youngest of four, her father never re-married and she was the only female in the house. In her community, it is common to have arranged marriages. After she turned 16, she was married off to a man twice her age. Having no choice of her own, she moved into his house and soon became pregnant. Without any medical assistance, the home delivery went badly. Yeshalem lost the baby and the tragic ordeal left her with vesico-vaginal fistula.

Socially stigmatized, Yeshalem lived in pain for 10 years. “My husband, my siblings and everyone in my com-munity left me, since they lost hope in me. And I never blamed them for that, because I had lost hope in my-self,” Yeshalem recalls.

World Vision is addressing maternal health in the Tig-ray Region of northern Ethiopia by partnering with Healing Hands of Joy (HHoJ). Through television and radio lessons, the project is increasing awareness about the causes of fistula and its treatment. Those hidden but living with the illness are beginning to emerge. Like Yeshalem, many of these women never thought they would be cured.

Yeshalem was treated and no longer suffers. “I feel like I am a new born. Or maybe, I have been given another chance in life, since I had lost my hope a long time ago. This is rather a new era of my life, a new chapter. I promised myself now, to get the most out of this new beginning, to be happy and help others become happy and healthy,” Yeshalem says with a shining face.

World Vision and HHoJ are training many of these women to become Safe Mothers Ambassadors (SMAs). SMA’s return to their villages to speak of fistula; that it is not a curse but can be cured. The visits include instructions about medical care during pregnancy, delivery and follow up. Yeshalem has become one of 390 SMA’s who recently graduated from the training. Back in her community, she now teaches and follows up on 34 pregnant women.

Birhan’s newborn receives vaccination

Birhan (26) recently gave birth at the health center with the help of health extension workers and Yeshalem by her side. Both mother and child are doing great as they have received medical support the whole time. “I believe, this pregnancy and delivery is safe. I felt comfortable the whole time because I knew if anything goes wrong, I would get professional assistance,” says Birhan.

Birhan has learned about vaccination too, knowing she and her baby will need to visit the health center regularly. Besides, she is happy to be accompanied by Yeshalem and she eagerly waits for their next appointment. “I am so grateful for the help I got from World Vision. I got the chance to meet with the outside world once again. I have great love and care of the children who are born under my follow up and I have built close attachment with them.” Yeshalem concludes.