How whi began
Zenaba* was just a teenager when she arrived at the district hospital in Adré, in northeastern Chad, after several days of painful contractions, hoping to give birth to a child. By that time, the child was already dead and Martin and Claudia Leimgruber, the District physician and midwife in Adré, could only save the young mother’s life.
Unknown suffering
After the birthing process, which had lasted for several days, Zenaba had suffered severe internal injuries known as fistula. The Leimgrubers were confronted with these injuries for the first, but not the last, time. The results of the birth complications are urinary and/or fecal incontinence, accompanied by a permanent bad odour. The women who suffer from fistula are therefore often rejected by their husbands and despised and shunned by society.
First Fistula surgery in Chad
In 2002, around 90 women received surgery at two surgery camps. An experienced surgical team from the renowned Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia came to Chad for this. Unfortunately, Zenaba could not be completely healed, as her injuries were too severe.
When the Leimgruber family returned to Switzerland after their stay in Chad, Zenaba was able to accompany them to Addis Abeba. She stayed there for six months and underwent several operations at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Today, Zenaba lives in Chad and is employed as a care assistant in a fistula programme.
After their return to Switzerland, Martin and Claudia Leimgruber founded women's hope international on 4 December 2003 to help women with fistula.
* Name has been changed.
Read which projects are currently supported by women's hope international and how the life of a woman can be transformed through a healing surgery.