Resilience Through Empowerment.
Wednesday, 16 August, 2023
Gaudensia Thobias from Busenge village – Buchosa district, Tanzania had lost all hope. She had been suffering from obstetric fistula for years, and her condition had made her feel even more miserable. She was incontinent, and the smell of urine had made her a social pariah. Her husband had left her, and she had been ostracized by her community.
One day, upon a visit by fistula ambassador, the suffering became historical, Gaudensia heard about Amref Fistula project from a Fistula ambassador and decided to give it a try. She went to the Magu Poverty Focus on Older People Rehabilitation Centre (MAPERECE), a partner of Amref Health Africa Tanzania, and was linked to Bugando Medical Centre where she began to receive treatment.
The treatment was not easy. Gaudensia underwent surgery and a long period of recovery, but she persevered. Slowly, she began to gain control over her bladder and regain her dignity.
However, the project did not stop there. Gaudensia also received psychosocial support, which helped her deal with the psychological trauma she had experienced. She also received basic skills in entrepreneurship and seed funding to start her own income-generating activities.
Gaudensia decided to keep cattle, specifically goats. She found that they were easy to care for and marketable. With the help of her seed funding, she was able to purchase a number of goats and begin her own small-scale farming activity.
After keeping goats for some time, she sold five goats in exchange for one cow, her dream is to purchase more cows and goats.
Today, Gaudensia’s life has been transformed. She is no longer isolated and rejected by her community. Instead, she is a respected member, and her income-generating activities allowed her to support herself and her children.
Thanks to the Amref Fistula project, Gaudensia has a new lease on life. She is now able to live with dignity and hope, with a bright future. She has become an inspiration to others who may be suffering from a similar condition and shows that, with the right support, anyone can overcome their challenges and achieve their dreams.
