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Current projects in East Africa
HER DIGNITY FUND
Every woman matters.
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 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
We work through the following implementing partners to facilitate safe maternal healthcare, including programs to prevent obstetric fistula.
Barbara May Maternity Hospital, Ethiopia
Valerie Browning AM
Vision Maternity Care Hospital, Ethiopia
Dr Birhanu Member
Kivulini Maternity Centre, Tanzania
Dr Doreen David Moshi
Latest News & Articles
Fistula Camp and Training in Nepal
Recently Dr Andrew visited Nepal, where he was able to attend two fistula camps. The first was...
Salifu’s Story: From Shame to Hope
After losing her baby Salifu lived with the shame of an obstetric fistula for eight months. Her...
Kahabi’s Story: Twelve Years with a Fistula
During her first pregnancy, Kahabi was in labour for three days. She wanted to go to the hospital,...
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Every time we see a fistula patient treated, we are reminded of the urgency for fistula prevention too 🧡
Sanjana* lived with the pain and discomfort of leaking urine for 30 years, after trying to fix a prolapsed uterus on her own.
Your regular giving makes it possible for us to find and treat women who hide in shame, in remote regions where access to healthcare is limited. But, just as important, it also enables more women to have access to safe maternal healthcare in the first place.
Find out more today: Link in bio
*Sanjana’s name is changed to protect her privacy.
Do you like podcasts?
Then listen in to this short interview between Dr Ross from 2GB’s Healthy Living program and our Medical Director, Dr Andrew. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like working in obstetrics and gynaecology in developing countries, here’s a brief insight.
(link in bio - or search in your podcast app)
Happy listening!
@2gb873
Here’s where faith meets action. Every midwife trained, every nurse equipped, every safe birth – it’s not just saving lives today, it’s creating a generational impact for families and communities.
We’re so glad you’re here. Together, we can restore dignity, share hope, and transform futures.
Find out more - visit the link in our bio 💙
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#christiancharity #maternalhealth #faithinaction #safebirth #micah6v8
This is what fistula prevention looks like 🙌
Every safe birth matters.
Partner with us this year to:
👉 train more midwives
👉 provide free maternal care for vulnerable women
👉 change the story of maternal health in Africa
Links in bio.
#midwifelife #charity #maternalhealth #safebirth #christiancharity
@maternityafrica
After losing her baby, Salifu lived with the shame of an obstetric fistula for eight months. Her life was filled with hardship, ostracism and isolation. Thanks to treatment at Kivulini, she is now not only healed, but able to dream of a brighter future for herself and her children.
From Salifu - and from all of us at Barbara May Foundation - thank you for making this life-changing care possible. 🙏✨
Donate today to ensure more women can be treated and have their dignity restored at our next fistula camp.
#FistulaAwareness #maternalhealth #womenshealth #endfistula #birthinjury
Today is Timket in Ethiopia, a special religious festival celebrating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. We wish all our friends, patients and colleagues in Ethiopia “Melkam Timket”!
Did you know… Ethiopia has one of the richest and oldest Orthodox Christian cultures in the world. Their religious festivals are always an incredible and meaningful experience.
Find out more about the work we do in Ethiopia (website link in bio).
#melkamtimket
Every safe birth is a life saved and a fistula prevented.
At Barbara May Maternity Hospital, incredible things happen every single day – like welcoming Eysa’s healthy baby boy into the world 💙
For women in Afar, access to skilled care can mean the difference between life and death, or a joyful start to life versus ongoing pain and shame of a birthing injury. Thanks to the dedicated team at BMMH, Afar mothers and babies are getting the chance to thrive.
This is why your support matters. Together, we’re making childbirth safer and giving families hope for the future. 💕
#APDA #endfistula #safebirth #maternityhospital #MaternalHealth
Melkam Genna (Happy Ethiopian Christmas)!
In Ethiopia, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th January. We wish all our friends and supporters, our invaluable team and colleagues, and our patients in Ethiopia a very merry Christmas!
In a remote region of northern Uganda building a hospital of this scale is an incredible feat!
Someday soon our muddy footsteps will be replaced with the feet of women who have walked from nearby villages to be able to access safe, skilled and dignified maternal health services FREE of charge.
Excitement is building, and rightly so!
Help us improve maternal health in under-resourced areas in Africa – every donation makes a real difference: https://barbaramayfoundation.com/how-can-i-help/ (Link in bio)
#barbaramayfoundation #MaternalHealthMatters #dreambig #womenshealth #maternitycare
In partnership with
@tekworofoundation and Sonic Healthcare Foundation
Aisha is a fistula patient who was healed at a fistula camp last year. Here she is just 2 days after surgery. By the time she left, the transformation in this shy young lady was incredible.
To read her full story and see her beautiful smile, visit the link in our bio!
P.S We`ve got more fistula camps planned this coming year - your ongoing support means more women and girls can have their dignity restored.
With @maternityafrica
#FistulaTreatment #maternalhealth #herdignityfund #EndFistula
Your generosity and compassion have been overwhelming this Christmas season 🥰
THANK YOU for your ongoing support as together we change the story of maternal health in Africa 🧡
Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. Together, we made an incredible difference.
Here’s a special thank you message from the fistula patients at the most recent fistula camps in Central African Republic, South Sudan and Tanzania 🥰
#fistulatreatment #maternalhealth #barbaramayfoundation #merrychristmas #thankyou
@maternityafrica