Some run marathons; others walk on bare foot; some others swim lakes ….; but all for one big cause, helping the poor women suffering from the traumatic birth injury. Without the full engagement of all our supporters, such life changing work couldn’t be possible at all.
Recently, a fund-raising adventure for this big cause was successfully completed in the Switzerland. A group of eight teenagers, named the ChaCha Team, have crossed the cold Geneva Lake swimming end to end aiming at raising funds for fistula surgery.
“It was two years back that I got the chance of visiting the amazing work at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, and when I saw women of almost in my age had been suffering from the traumatic birth injury which I never thought of it to happen, I immediately decided to support this work in any way I could. This is how the idea of ChaCha Team began,” said the 17 year old Theodosia Catsiapis, one of the members of the team.
Back home, Theodosia told her friends at school about the sufferings of young Ethiopian women she saw. No one said no to her request for support. The eight willing teenagers, including herself, have started preparing for their biggest life challenge-swimming the cold and long river full of scary water creatures. The ChaCha team, through this adventure, has raised awareness on obstetric fistula, and of course managed to raise 76, 000 USD for Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia.
Being the youngest of the ChaCha Team, Theodosia , accompanied by our Swiss Trust member Lisa, has arrived at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to handover the donation in a small ceremony held on July 13 afternoon where Dr. Catherine and other staff members were in attendance.
“You are a teenage, but matured enough to care for others in need. I thank you and all your team members for the commitment you’ve shown to help the big cause that my husband and I have devoted our lives to,” said Dr. Catherine during the donation ceremony.
With the donation, 100 fistula patients will get holistic care and be reintegrated back into their communities with full dignity. The rest of the money is for sponsoring one student at the Hamlin College of Midwives for the whole four years degree training in Midwifery.
