On International Literacy Day, we are reminded that there is more to literacy than reading and writing. For many, it is a cornerstone of dignity, empowerment and opportunity. For women recovering from obstetric fistula, education can be a vital step towards healing and rebuilding their lives.

Today, we are sharing the story of Hawwa, an educator at Hamlin’s Harar Fistula Hospital who was once a patient herself and has first-hand experience of how literacy and learning can open new doors and turn despair into hope.

“My name is Hawwa and I come from West Hararghe in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region. Soon after I was married, I fell pregnant. But my first pregnancy ended in tragedy: obstetric fistula.

“After three days of labor at home, my in-laws took me to a health center. The staff mistakenly told us it wasn’t time to deliver, and I was sent home. There, I eventually gave birth, but I lost my baby.”

Living with obstetric fistula

“After the birth, I was left unable to control my bladder and bowels, and partially paralysed. I couldn’t move my legs, which was both physically and emotionally devastating.

“I felt trapped in my own body, unable to care for myself or participate in daily life. Living with fistula was isolating and humiliating. The fear of leaking in public filled me with shame, and I avoided people, believing I was unworthy of love or companionship.

“Soon after, my husband abandoned me and remarried, compounding my feelings of rejection and despair. I had lost my health, my baby, and the person I thought would stand beside me. I felt purposeless, as if my life had lost all meaning.”

The long search for a cure

“I learned about Hamlin from a former patient. To reach the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, I sold my goats, the last remnants of my marriage.

“My first trip was in 2008, but surgery was unsuccessful due to complications. I returned in 2009 for further procedures, ultimately requiring diversion surgery. I then moved to Desta Mender, Hamlin’s recovery and rehabilitation centre for women needing longer-term care.

“There, I received counselling, literacy and numeracy classes, and vocational training. I learnt animal husbandry, studied Amharic and improved my reading, and also developed new life skills. These skills set me on a new path: I was chosen to become an educator for other patients at Hamlin’s Harar Fistula Hospital.”

Helping women recover independence

“Once a patient myself, I now dedicate my life to supporting others. I understand their trauma and walk beside them as they rebuild their confidence. I encourage women to rediscover their purpose and believe in a better future. Thanks to Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, many of us can begin again.

“My education has also continued. I am now a first year Accounting student, studying for my diploma.

“Today, I live a happy life and remain committed to helping women with fistula and other birth-related injuries. Fistula patients often face isolation and shame, but at Hamlin’s Harar Fistula Hospital, we are more than colleagues, we are family.”