Providing lifesaving maternal healthcare & fistula repair in remote Africa
Around the world, approximately 800 women die every day from birth-related injuries such as fistula. More than half of these are in sub-Saharan Africa. The Barbara May Foundation funds projects that provide dignity and safety for underprivileged women in birth.
Established in 2009, the Barbara May Foundation (BMF) provides funding to Australian medical professionals Valerie Browning AM and Dr Andrew Browning AM initiating and managing projects in remote East Africa (Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Northern Uganda) that relieve the high incidence of death and extreme injury such as fistula in pregnancy and childbirth. They provide safety, dignity and hope. Maternal healthcare and medical services are provided at no cost, regardless of race or religion.
Projects supported in Africa
Barbara May Maternity Hospital, Ethiopia
Valerie Browning AM
Vision Maternity Care Hospital, Ethiopia
Dr Birhanu Menber
Kivulini Hospital Maternity Africa (MA), Tanzania
Dr Andrew Browning
Latest News & Articles
Halim’s Story
Halim is around 22 years old and she’s spent her life living in a nomadic village, in the Afar...
Podcast Interview with Dr Andrew Browning AM
Dr Andrew Browning AM recently caught up with Clayton from Towards Understanding. In this...
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
This International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, we are honoured to share Barachi’s story with you. Barachi is a fistula patient who was living in rural Tanzania for over 40 years, before she finally received treatment.
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Fistulas don’t just affect women, they affect families.
Paulina and her family farmed their own vegetables, and Paulina had her own business as a seamstress. However, when she was no longer able to work, due to grief and having a fistula, her husband had to travel far away to try to earn more money.
Hear Paulina`s story today: Link in bio - Paulina`s Story
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#barbaramayfoundation #womenshealth #australiancharity #maternitycare #FistulaAwareness #EndFistula #fistulatreatment #FistulaCare #africanwomen #fistulafoundation #maternalmentalhealth #MaternalHealthMatters #safebirth #birthinjury
Photography: @justinmclean
Many women sustain injuries during childbirth, even in Australia. Do you ever wonder what it would be like if we didn`t have hospitals and health services to help with surgeries and recovery?
During Paulina`s third pregnancy, she had an obstructed labour and wasn’t able to have a Caesarean section.
Here’s her birth story: Link in bio - Paulina`s Story
#barbaramayfoundation #womenshealth #australiancharity #maternitycare #FistulaAwareness #EndFistula #fistulatreatment #FistulaCare #africanwomen #fistulafoundation #maternalmentalhealth #MaternalHealthMatters #maternalhealth #midwives #midwifery #obstetrician
Video: @justinmclean
What would you do if the hospital told you that leaking urine constantly after giving birth was “normal”? What if it didn’t heal after a few days?
Hear Paulina`s full story (link in bio - Paulina`s Story)
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#barbaramayfoundation #womenshealth #australiancharity #maternitycare #FistulaAwareness #EndFistula #fistulatreatment #FistulaCare #africanwomen #fistulafoundation #maternalmentalhealth #MaternalHealthMatters #maternalhealth #birthstory #postpartum
Video: @justinmclean
New podcast! Listen in to this inspiring and insightful conversation between Dr Andrew Browning AM and Clayton from Towards Understanding.
Let us know in the comments below what stood out to you from the interview, or if you have a question you`d love to ask Dr Andrew Browning!
Link in bio!
#fistula #barbaramayfoundation #podcast #MaternityCare #doctorlife #missionarylife #obstetrics
@899thelight
After a very long, painful labour, Paulina went to the local hospital near her village. However, they refused to allow her baby to be delivered by caesarean section.
This is why it’s so important to provide quality training to local midwives and ensure maternity hospitals are fully equipped.
Paulina shares her story here: (link in bio) https://barbaramayfoundation.com/her-dignity-fund
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#barbaramayfoundation #womenshealth #australiancharity #maternitycare #FistulaAwareness #EndFistula #fistulatreatment #FistulaCare #africanwomen #fistulafoundation #maternalmentalhealth #MaternalHealthMatters #maternalhealth
#birthstory #postpartum
Film: @justinmclean
Meet Paulina, a local seamstress, beloved mother and wife, and obstetric fistula patient.
She has courageously shared her story.
Watch it here: see link in bio (Paulina`s Story)
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#barbaramayfoundation #womenshealth #australiancharity #maternitycare #FistulaAwareness #EndFistula #fistulatreatment #FistulaCare #africanwomen #fistulafoundation #maternalmentalhealth #MaternalHealthMatters #maternalhealth
Photography: @justinmclean
Listen in! Dr Andrew Browning AM recently caught up with Clayton from Towards Understanding. This interview will be aired tonight at 7pm, on 89.9 The Light. You can listen to the station’s livestream here: https://thelight.com.au/
P.S Don’t worry if you miss it, we’ll be sharing the podcast recording for you when it becomes available!
#barbaramayfoundation #PodcastInterview #womenshealth #australiancharity #ChristianRadio #missionary #MaternityCare
@899thelight
Good luck to everyone participating in today’s Fistula Marathon in Arusha!
And we want to say a huge THANK YOU for caring about this incredibly worthy mission of preventing fistulas and restoring women’s dignity.
#fistulaawareness #endfistula #internationaldaytoendobstetricfistula #womenshealth #maternity #maternitycare #barbaramayfoundation #tanzania #arusha #funrun2025 #fistulamarathon
@maternityafrica
It’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula! Barachi’s story 🧡
Complications happen all the time during childbirth. The thing is, Barachi’s story could be any of ours, if we didn’t have access to safe maternity healthcare.
If you (or your wife, sister, mother, or aunty) gave birth with a hospital or the help of a trained midwife, please share or like this video.
We believe every day should be the day to eradicate obstetric fistulas... but today IS a great excuse to help us raise awareness, so hit share and help us spread the word that fistulas are preventable AND treatable!
#barbaramayfoundation #maternalhealth #newbaby #4thtrimester #birthstory #midwivesmakeadifference #midwifery #fistula #endfistula #fistulaawareness #internationaldaytoendobstetricfistula #charity
Last chance to buy tickets! We hope you can make it to our event in Orange next weekend 🍂🍷
When: Saturday 17 May, from 2pm
Where: De Salis Wines, Orange NSW
What: A special afternoon to hear from leading obstetric fistula surgeon Dr Andrew Browning AM, and the Barbara May Foundation, about maternal healthcare in East Africa.
RSVP CLOSES TODAY. Buy your tickets and tag a friend to make sure they`re coming too!
Link in Bio!
#orangensw #orangensw2800 #maternitycare #womenshealth #australiancharity #barbaramayfoundation #nsw #nswgetaway #centralwestnsw
Happy International Nurses Day!
Thank you especially to all the nurses working tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of women and babies in our supported hospitals in East Africa.
And a moment of appreciation for the woman who started it all – Valerie Browning AM, an Australian nurse who decided early in her career to go overseas and help where she was needed (and never came back)! What an inspiration.
#nurselife #nursesweek #InternationalNursesDay #maternitycare #barbaramayfoundation #nurse
It’s important today to also acknowledge all the mothers who are grieving💙
Too many women have lost babies and children, and more than 700 women are still dying during childbirth every single day.
Sadly, in Africa, many of these losses could have been prevented if women had access to the same quality of maternal healthcare as we have here in Australia.
The good news is, we CAN do something about it. Visit our bio for more info
#mothersday #happymothersday #maternitycare #angelbaby #infantloss #grieving #fistula #womenshealth #barbaramayfoundation