I continue to be amazed by the impact of WFF and the ripple effect of our mission in the communities we serve. Through 2024, our impact on addressing childbirth injuries is clear:
- 5,932 Free Surgeries across partner agencies in 5 countries
- 1,907,523+ Community members reached with prevention and free treatment education
- 3,941 Fistula survivors completed reintegration-skills training & returned to their communities
- 1,766 Fistula survivors running 3,332 Small Businesses, individually and in Solidarity Groups
- 1,700+ Doctors, Nurses, Health Workers trained in injury prevention & patient identification
WFF is poised to reach incredible milestones this year, when we celebrate our 30th anniversary: 2 million people reached with prevention and treatment education; more than 6,250 free surgeries, more than 2,000 women survivors running their own businesses.
Thank you again to all our donors for your continued support, which makes everything listed in the following report possible.
Liz Crawford
Executive Director
Healthcare providers trained in Seguenega in 2024
Burkina Faso: ARENA Medical Center
Dr. Itengre and ARENA’s 2025 annual goals and objectives for WFF funding:
- 100 fistula surgeries
- 90 fistula survivors received small business or vocational training
- 40,000 community members reached through 50 events for prevention and patient identification outreach in 4 regions of Burkina Faso, with an additional 100,000 reached through radio, TV and social media
- 50 community leaders, 100 health workers trained in prevention and patient identification
- Complete the extension of clinical facility
Thanks to a generous donor, Dr. Itengre’s team at ARENA will receive funding over the next five years from WFF to support staff training and development. This training will build their capacity with advanced, specialized trainings that improve the quality of holistic care for women facing birth injuries.
Uganda: Terrewode Women’s Community Hospital
Alice Emasu and Terrewode’s 2025 annual goals and objectives for WFF funding:
- 116 Free Surgeries at Terrewode Women’s Community Hospital (TWCH) and with partners
- 116 fistula survivors trained in small business/vocational skills (Reintegration)
- Training and capacity building for 25 Obstetric
- Fistula Awareness and Advocacy Network (OFAAN) members to support patient identification and awareness
In the first quarter of this year, TWCH focused on bolstering outreach in addition to their ongoing clinical and reintegration services. The OFAAN and a 24/7 toll-free phone line helped identify and mobilize patients. Training sessions and travel assistance enabled OFAAN to connect rural patients with vital health services. Additionally, the organization maintains strong relationships with lower-level health
facilities to improve referrals and used radio station campaigns to increase awareness about treatment options at TWCH.
Kenya: Let’s End Fistula Initiative
Sarah Omega & Let’s End Fistula Initiative (LEFI) 2025 annual goals and objectives for WFF Funding:
- 420 women in 22 Solidarity Groups will successfully manage 90 Group and 1,421 Individual Income Generating Activities (IGAs) by yearend
- 15 Groups conduct Safe Motherhood outreach education for 20,000 community members
- Identify 50 patients and provide round trip transport to fistula treatment
- Launch 4 new Youth Champions of Fistula (YCF) Clubs who will hold 96 outreach activities in their schools, reaching a total of 48,000 students
Based on last year’s decision to fund Solidarity Groups for a maximum of three years, LEFI was excited to graduate several to the status of self-reliance in 2024. Groups receive specialized off-boarding so that they can remain vibrant, actively engage in prevention work and continue their outreach activities. In 2025, there are a total of 7 groups slated to graduate, and during the first quarter, three groups form
Bungoma County successfully graduated into self-reliance.
Dr. Porter being trained in 2024
Niger: Danja Fistula Center
Danja Fistula Center (DFC) 2025 annual goals and objectives for WFF funding:
- 100 Free surgeries
- 90 survivors receive various reintegration training in small business or vocational skills
- 10,000 community members educated in childbirth injury prevention through
- in-person meetings, radio, and social media channels
Dr. Porter, a Surgeon at the clinic, recently obtained her Level 1 FIGO certification and received official privileges from the government to perform surgeries independently. This means that she can now schedule 1-2 surgery days per week, greatly increasing the cadence of treatments. It is also increasing the efficiency of the clinic to have a very consistent schedule with a dedicated surgeon who now can work fully independently. Dr. Porter continues her pursuit of training certifications and hopes to achieve “trainer” status as her next big milestone.
