Help Restore Her Dignity
You can help make a life-changing impact for women like Paulina.
Find out more below!
Meet Paulina
Local seamstress, beloved mother and wife, and courageous fistula patient.
This beautiful woman has courageously shared her story so we might raise awareness of what it’s like to give birth in Africa – and help ensure more women like Paulina can give birth safely or find the treatment they need.
“I was cured. I was so full of joy. It was a miracle!”
A simple operation can cure a fistula… but quality maternity care can prevent fistulas in the first place.
Help Us Raise $76,200 by the end of financial year to help more women like Paulina.
This will allow 250 vulnerable and at-risk women to give birth safely in a maternity hospital, including pre and post-natal checkups and a caesarean section if required, to save their babies and prevent new fistula injuries. Plus it’ll allow us to find 10 women like Paulina who have been living in shame and fear, ensure they receive compassionate care and, of course, operations by a specially trained fistula surgeon to heal their injuries and restore their dignity.
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(Please note: Fundraising progress will be updated weekly)
“With your support we can keep finding women like Paulina and ensure they get proper treatment, and also keep our partner maternity hospitals equipped, running, and preventing more obstetric fistulas from occurring. Together we can ensure no more mothers have to needlessly lose their babies during childbirth.
I’m sure you agree, every woman should be able to face giving birth with confidence and hope, knowing she and her baby are in safe hands.
Please donate your best gift by 30 June 2025 to ensure women like Paulina, living in remote and underserviced areas of East Africa, can give birth safely.”
Karen Baker
General Manager
Barbara May Foundation
P.S Will you be one of the foundational supporters of the new Her Dignity Fund?
Your support meant Paulina was able to find hope once more...but there are still so many women who need our help.
women die trying to give birth... every single day.
women develop severe birthing injuries EVERY day
women in Africa still living with a fistula.
Let's do something about it.
Her Dignity Fund Supports...
Maternity Hospitals
Building and running safe, fully equipped maternity hospitals, and training local midwives and doctors.
Fistula Treatment
Providing specialist obstetric surgeries for women suffering with fistula injuries, while training more local surgeons in this specialisation.
Community Education
Educating rural and remote communities in East Africa about maternal health, to reduce deaths and injuries in childbirth and to find fistula patients.
Maternity Hospitals
Building and running safe, fully equipped maternity hospitals, and training local midwives and doctors.
Fistula Treatment
Providing specialist obstetric surgeries for women suffering with fistula injuries, while training more local surgeons in this specialisation.
Community Education
Educating rural and remote communities in East Africa about maternal health, to reduce deaths and injuries in childbirth and to find fistula patients.
Your Gift Matters
$280 can enable one mother to give birth safely in a hospital, including all pre and post-natal check-ups, and a caesarean section if required.
$620 can restore a woman’s dignity through specialist obstetric fistula surgery.
Together let’s make a difference.
Can you join with us to reach the goal of helping 260 women by donating before 30 June 2025?
Frequently Asked Questions
Why donate before 30 June?
Barbara May Foundation is a registered Australian charity (ACN 141248900). In Australia, the financial year ends on 30 June. Donating by the end of June means you can make the most of your tax benefits for the financial year.
I already donated to Barbara May Foundation before the appeal, will my donation go towards the Her Dignity Fund?
All your donations will support the ongoing work of building and maintaining maternity hospitals, community education and fistula treatment.
However, only new donations made between 23 May to 30 June will be counted towards our fundraising goal.
From 1 July 2025, all general and regular donations will be continue to go through the Her Dignity Fund.
I'm not in Australia, how can I donate?
Thank you for your support! Please find your country’s donation form here.
Who created the video and took the stunning photographs of Paulina?
Thank you for asking! We are grateful for everyone who helped to share Paulina’s story – from the social workers at Maternity Africa, to our volunteer translator, and finally to the talented photographer and cinematographer, Justin McLean
Donation Form
Please check your email inbox for your tax receipt.