This campaign has now closed
SafeHands for Mothers will use the power of film to increase awareness and behavioural change to prevent and de-stigmatize fistula in northern Ethiopia. The films shown within community education programmes, will reach remote communities with the aid of a specially developed portable, DVD players
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Beneficiaries
Situation
Early marriage often results in early pregnancy. One of the debilitating conditions which can result from child-bearing in early adolescence, before a girl's body has fully matured, is obstetric fistula caused by a prolonged and obstructed labour. This leaves a hole between the bladder and the vagina or the rectum leaving her permanently incontinent. She is often rejected by her husband and ostracised by her community
Solution
Although child weddings are illegal in Ethiopia the tradition is still very common in rural Amhara, where 14% of girls marry by age 10 and 39% marry by age 15. This film will target parents and community elders who have power to decide whether young girls will marry. This project will build on two of SafeHands for Mothers’ films: ‘Child Marriage’ and ‘Fistula Pilgrims’ to raise awareness of these issues and their dire consequences