Background: In Zimbabwe, program data on obstetric fistula shows that many women are living for long periods with the condition of uncontrollably leaking urine and/or feces. A significant number of women comes from Manicaland Province found in Mutare District. There is a religious sect called Marange that prohibit its members from seeking medical care. The women from this sect deliver their babies at church shrines and are assisted to delivery by church elders who are not trained to provide medical care during childbirth. This exposes the women from this sect to give birth without a skilled birth attendant such as a professional midwife.

About the project: The project aimed at creating awareness on the availability of obstetric fistula repair program in Mutare District in Manicaland province. This was done through awareness raising on obstetric fistula among both women and men, establishing a community-based obstetric fistula surveillance system in the district, training community-based workers and program advocates and linking obstetric fistula survivors to the treatment program. 100 T-shirts, 100 pamphlets and 200 flyers were produced and disseminated in the community.

Results: A simple screening tool was developed and used by 60 community-based workers, mentor mothers and fistula survivors in identifying women who were living with fistula in their communities. An online platform (WhatsApp) was created to communicate with community-based workers for real-time notifications of obstetric fistula cases. The team produced two podcasts on obstetric fistula survivors and were shared on the Global Academy platform and other social media sites.