Her Story – these profile stories cover the experiences of the women BMF are helping every day in Africa. This story does not include an image of Agness to honour her privacy.
Agness, aged 25, was married in 2018 and got pregnant with her first child. Unfortunately, when she was attending the clinic, she was found to have HIV/AIDS, which was painful news to her. She had no other option but to start taking medication and attend the clinic as usual.
With that condition, she developed a fistula during childbirth (May 2019), after a sustained labour pain for two days. She started leaking urine soon after delivery, and the baby was stillborn. After being discharged from the hospital she was told she had a fistula and directed to Bugando for treatment.
LIFE AT HOME WITH HER CONDITION
Agness had to go back to her mother from the hospital as she was still weak. Her mother took care of her for one week and then she had to go back to her husband’s home. As it was an extended family, Agness wasn’t comfortable with her condition and the mother- and father-in-law and other relatives of her husband were talking negatively about her condition. Even after hearing that she could go to Bugando for treatment they said they had no money to waste taking her to the hospital. and they were telling the son to marry another woman.
After enduring the gossip and talk of the people in the village, she made a decision and decided to go back to her mother where she felt safe and free of the constant humiliation. Even when her husband wanted her to go back home, she did not accept as she felt deeply hurt and ostracised.
HOW SHE CAME TO MATERNITY AFRICA
She couldn’t go to the hospital because she had no money and the relatives couldn’t support her, so she continued working on the farm. Later, she went to her neighbour to learn how to sew dresses. In July, Maternity Africa’s ambassador found her through her aunt, who knew about her situation. She came for treatment and is now well again. Thanks to the doctors and everyone involved, Maternity Africa managed to bring back her smile. She is now happy and back home to her mother.
