We have one goal: to eradicate obstetric fistula. Forever.
A bold new chapter towards a fistula-free Ethiopia
Catherine Hamlin Foundation International has officially launched at an event held in the House of Lords in London.
Held by kind permission of Baroness Campbell of Loughborough CBE and hosted by Nigel Brooksby, Chair of the Board of Trustees, the event brought together philanthropists, health leaders and advocates around a shared ambition: to build support for Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia and Project Zero. Guests also heard from leaders working in Ethiopia, alongside messages of support from the Hon. Julia Gillard AC and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – adding their voices to a growing global effort to help make a fistula-free Ethiopia a reality.
Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury — but it is preventable and treatable.
For more than six decades, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has restored health and dignity to over 82,000 women in Ethiopia through specialist surgery, rehabilitation, reintegration and midwifery-led prevention.
Now, through Project Zero, we are working to find and treat every woman still living with untreated obstetric fistula injuries, while strengthening the systems that can prevent new injuries from occurring.
Major philanthropic support can help us accelerate this work — and bring us closer to a fistula-free Ethiopia.
The challenge
Project Zero
Partner with us
A proven path to zero fistula
Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia has the experience, infrastructure and vision to end obstetric fistula in Ethiopia. Project Zero is our plan to get there.
Our Model of Care
Our Impact
82,000 patients treated at six hospitals
294 Hamlin Midwives graduated
67 years of continuous service
600 Ethiopian team members
Restoring health and dignity
In 1959, Australian doctors Catherine and Reg Hamlin, started their extraordinary journey to Ethiopia and their quest to provide world-class treatment for women suffering from an obstetric fistula.
Today, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is a healthcare network of over 600 Ethiopian staff servicing six specialist fistula hospitals, the Hamlin College of Midwives, Desta Mender (Joy Village) rehabilitation and reintegration centre and over 90 Hamlin-supported midwifery clinics across the country.
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Help bring zero within reach
Thousands of women in Ethiopia are still waiting to be found, treated and supported to rebuild their lives.
Project Zero is Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia’s commitment to reach them — and to prevent future generations of women from suffering the same devastating injury.
We invite visionary philanthropists, foundations and corporate partners to help accelerate this work and bring Dr Catherine Hamlin’s vision of a fistula-free Ethiopia within reach.
Finding, healing and empowering women
Project Zero is about reaching every woman still waiting for treatment — one woman, one family, one community at a time.
The stories of Hamlin patients show the life-changing impact of specialist surgery and support, and the future made possible when women are found, healed and able to rebuild their lives.
