Our Blog
Here you'll find our stories, thoughts and successes since we began in 2011. Enjoy.
Felekech has delievered seven children and five are still living. She is now prolapse free and will soon be discharged to be with her husband. Thank you for helping her!
Bizunesh has been pregnant eight times and delivered eight times, with four of them still living. She had prolapse for a year before her surgery.
Bizunesh (two Bizuneshs in a row!) has eight children and been suffering from severe prolapse for one year. Her surgery was a bit more involved but ended up with an excellent outcome!
Halishe is married with only one child after giving birth to five. Her prolapse had been bothering her for TEN long years. Today she is a new woman without prolapse and ready to start her new life.
Faranje is 40 years old and married with five children. Her prolapse had been bothering her for a year but is now at home and recovering from successful surgery.
Workinesh is 55 years old and widowed with six living children. She has been suffering for over the past year but is now back home, resting as a new woman.
Tanebe is widowed and has four living children. Her three-year struggle with prolapse is behind her now. Thank you for helping her!
Lankare is 60 years old and widowed with six children. Her surgery went smoothly and she is now resting at home.
The doctors say that Adanech is quite a character! She is 50 years old, widowed, and living with her six children. Her surgery had to be postponed due to malaria but she was determined to see it through. She has now successfully had surgery and was literally yelling, “Hallelujah!” in the OR!
Demekech says she is 35 years old (the doctors believe she may be slightly older) and lives with her husband and five children. Her surgery was challenging but she is slowly recovering and headed home soon.
Almaz says she is 40 years old (the doctors think probably more like 55) and married. She’s given birth to 13 children and still has 12 alive! She’s been suffering the last two years but is now with her family at home. Before she left, her husband came by the clinic to express his deep gratitude to the team as well as ALL of you! He was so appreciative and thankful for everyone’s generosity and kindness.
Ayene had suffered from severe prolapse for three years. She has been pregnant eight times and delivered six children, two of whom are still living. She is very grateful to no longer have the prolapse which had troubled her for so many years.
Anarech is married and has delivered nine babies after being pregnant 11 times. Six of her children are still living and she has suffered from severe prolapse for three years. Thank you for making such a big difference in her life!
Shalate has delivered four children but only one is still living. She had suffered from prolapse for seven years but is now free!
Aster has delivered four children and three are still living. She had suffered from prolapse for six years before her surgery. Thank you for helping her!
Makiba has delivered six children and only two are still living. She had prolapse for four years but how has a new lease on life.
Dae is a widow who has suffered from prolapse for two years. She has delivered six children and five are still living. She underwent successful surgery to correct her prolapse and is recovering well!
Beletech is married and has delivered five children with four of them still living. She had prolapse for one year until she underwent surgery to correct this problem. She’s doing great postoperatively and is so very grateful and happy.
Amaresh is married and has given birth to six children, five of whom are still living. She had suffered with severe prolapse for one year. Her surgery was challenging but successful. She is so very grateful to no longer have her prolapse.
Gistane has delivered one child and has suffered from prolapse for five years. She is now prolapse free!
Ayelech is 50 years old and widowed. Tragically, she only has one living child after giving birth to nine. Her prolapse had been burdening her for over a year but she now has a new lease on life.
Mihiret Desta is 32, has one child and is married. The doctors had been following her conservatively over the last year and she decided that it was time for surgery! It went really smoothly and she was able to go home with a smile on her face.
Askale is 55 years old, is widowed and has two children. Her prolapse had been bothering her for four long years and she is now home and prolapse free!
Tarame is widowed with six children after giving birth to eight. Her prolapse became quite severe over the past year. She is thankful to be home and recovering from successful surgery.
Nigist lives with her husband and 5 children. She’s around 40 years old and has had her prolapse a little under a year. She’s now prolapse free and headed home!
This surgery recipient is married with five children. She said she is 40 but the doctors think she’s a bit older than that. Her prolapse first came to her attention thee months ago and is now taken care of!
Ayelech is 60 years old and widowed with six children. Her prolapse has been bothering her for a year and she’s now home and recovering after a very successful surgery.
Alemitu is 44 years old and widowed with six living children after giving birth to seven. Her prolapse had been bothering her for four long years before going to Soddo Christian Hospital.
Purune Guto has quite a story! She’s 51 and married with TEN children! The doctors have been managing her for the last two years with a pessary but she became tired of it and wanted surgery. The problem was - every time they took her to the operating room she developed a fever. They had to delay her surgery a few times and now… she FINALLY had her surgery! No fever - and it went very well! She’s now home and recovering. (Sadly, no photo to share!)
Turunge is widowed with two living children after giving birth to six. Her prolapse had been troubling her for six years. She’s now free of her prolapse on and her way home to continue to recover.
Meeting with and hearing the stories of women who have had surgery for a prolapsed uterus is always incredibly moving, inspiring and motivating to continue fundraising so we can provide the funds needed to change other women’s lives.
The women both spoke of the physical pain, social isolation, psychological struggle and despair they felt. One of the women told Helmy and Shelley, “I have had a significant change in my life. I used to be in bed and could not go to church or the market. I could not work around my house and I did not want to be with my husband. Now I feel young and I am no longer carrying a very heavy load. I can go where I want to go and I have interest in my life again.”
During Helmy and Shelley's time in Ethiopia, they visited with three of the mothers in the Girls Gotta Run Mothers’ Savings Groups. They learned how the women are taught to save and how through small loans, the mothers are able to start and grow small businesses.
Abebech is 42 and has three children. Her daughter Bethlehem is a Girls Gotta Run Athletic Scholar. Abebech worked in her brother's shop until she had her two younger children and then could not leave them to go to work. For 10 years, their family was reliant on the father's income as a daily labourer. That limited income has been reduced significantly due to the economy and decreasing demand for daily labourers.
Feeding their family had become very difficult. Since starting with the Mothers’ Saving Group, Abebech has been able to take small loans to start an avocado sandwich business. She was never able to save any money before - she didn't even think it was possible. But now, thanks to the Girls Gotta Run Mothers Group, she is able to save to pay back the two loans she has taken from the group's savings and is able to provide adequate food and care for her children.
She told Helmy and Shelley that in the Mothers Group she is learning about the reproductive system, how to parent and how to cope through difficult times. The support the group members provide one another is very helpful. Her children and husband see how hard she is working and they are proud of her and thankful for the difference it has made in their family.
"I feel very proud that I can provide for my family and that I can use my own money to support a friend in need. This gives me confidence," Abebech said.
Her daughter Bethlehem also helps her mom in the business when she is not in school. Bethlehem told us: “I like this business because it has reduced my mom's worry about how she will provide food and pay for school fees." Bethlehem said she thinks her mom is happier now and doesn't worry out loud anymore.
When Shelley asked if their relationship had changed at all since her mother was in the Mothers Group, Bethlehem said "there is a big difference in our relationship because in the past, I had to miss school and take care of my younger brothers so my mom could go and look for work. I have learned a lot because my mom has persisted even through all the challenges she has faced. I have learned that I will be able to succeed in a better way through learning, working and following what I have learned from my mom.”
Just one of the reasons Helmy and Shelley are so impressed with Busajo is the fact they are training the older children a trade so they can earn a living. Bamboo furniture making, welding (look at the hospital examination beds they are now making), woodworking and cabinetry, soap making, fabric and leather furniture creation, weaving and tailoring are all skills being taught at Busajo.
The trades they teach have grown incredibly over the past few years. Sales of the goods they make help financially support the project. Bravo Busajo … Bravo!!!!
It is always a pleasure to bring needed clothing and activities for the children at Busajo in Soddo. Marcella, Director and Bezuayehu, Staff Director are the heart and soul of this most extraordinary work.
They give their whole lives to help youth living on the streets in Soddo. When we sat with Marcella during the children’s dinner time, she said quietly to us (looking at all the children), “this is my tribe, this is my salary.” Those words say it all!
Thank you Marcella and Bezuayehu for your devotion, selflessness and love you show every day to the children you care for! If you would like to learn more about this incredible organization, please visit https://www.busajo.org/en/our-story.
Helmy also captured a special moment for Shelley at Busajo. Playing with and cuddling the children are some of Shelley’s favourite times on each trip!
More from Shelley and Helmy’s trip diaries! We love to see them experience this wonderful place
WRAPS (washable, reusable, affordable pads) has grown from 5 employees - when we first started to support this incredible work - to now over 40! The WRAPS Cafe began over two years ago and it is thriving!
The Cafe employs women who have been in very vulnerable situations. Many of the women attend school in the evenings, with some starting in the lower grades (since they did not have the chance to complete their education as children). We love women’s empowerment and WRAPS, through the leadership of Allison Karnes and the hard work of the women, has changed so many lives for the better.
Helmy and Shelley ate delicious food and drank fun beverages served at the WRAPS Cafe several times while they were in Soddo.
Connecting the projects we support is always a thrill. Two of the staff from the WRAPS (washable reusable affordable pads) factory came to provide education to the Mothers Groups and their daughters in Girls Gotta Run about the menstrual cycle, how to care for reusable pads, what is healthy and what needs medical attention and how to protect yourself against sexual assault. Helmy and Shelley observed the session and were so impressed to see how the women and girls were taking in the information.
The value of education can never be overstated. Helmy and Shelley were touched when one of the women talked about how she and some other women stood up against a man who touched a young girl inappropriately. She told the other mothers they needed to be aware of the safety of all girls in their communities and to protect them. Mothers coming together to form a supportive community … we love it!!
Pictured here is Shelley bringing a message of love and support from Canada, Helmy (third from left) watching the presentation with the girls and mothers, and two WRAPS staff presenting on reusable pads and the human body.
