Betty is a 36-year-old woman from Nawansega Village. She is a mother of three, and a fistula survivor. We sat down with Betty to learn more about her journey, and the challenges that living with a fistula posed.
Seated at her sewing machine on the veranda outside her house, Betty started to recount her story while simultaneously sewing a dress. Her children gathered around, listening to the conversation. Soon, a small crowd started to form as some of Betty’s neighbors joined. During our interview with Betty, her candid account of the hardships she faced moved everyone to tears.
Betty’s fistula developed when she was in labor with her 4th child and it became obstructed. Betty subsequently underwent a hysterectomy, which greatly saddened her, because she hoped to have another child.
Betty’s mom refused to visit her in the hospital, and Betty’s husband left her one week into her hospital stay. After returning home, Betty feared leaving her house because she smelled like urine due to the incontinence her fistula caused.
Betty felt so isolated and lost that she tried to commit suicide using rat poison.
After three suicidal attempts, Betty was counseled by church members, who informed her that her newfound condition was treatable. With this in mind, Betty started to regain hope.
Betty was able to attend one of UVP’s fistula surgery camps and was successfully healed. Afterward the surgery, Betty joined our reintegration program where she learned how to tailor clothes.
From the Uganda team: “She is earning some income and [has] become a star in her community.”
Here’s the original quote, for reference. I changed “have” to “has”, but otherwise kept it the same.
[Betty’s story was shared with her consent.]
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