Why We Work in Tanzania
Maternal health indicators have been improving in Tanzania, but there is still a long way to go. In cities, nearly all women deliver in hospitals—but over 70% of the Tanzanian population lives in rural areas, where health care remains difficult to access.
In Tanzania women with fistula suffer for eight years on average before finding help. During that time, they experience significant emotional trauma—too often, fistula patients are shunned by their communities and abandoned by their husbands. Due to the isolating nature of fistula, many Tanzanian women do not know that their condition is treatable, and blame themselves for their misfortune or believe that they are cursed.
What You Help Us Do
In 2023, we launched a new countrywide treatment network to build Tanzania’s long-term capacity for fistula care. We believe this network-of-care model represents the path forward to ending—within a generation—the suffering caused by fistula. Learn more about our plan to end it
Since its launch, our Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Tanzania has achieved the following results:
- 1,257 surgeries provided across five hospital sites
- 10 surgeons and 86 nurses trained in fistula management
- 600 community members trained to spread awareness of fistula
- 320 outreach activities conducted
- More than 650,000 people reached through radio programs and advertisements
Meet Our Partners
We identify local surgical teams in Tanzania already successfully treating women with fistula—and then work to amplify their efforts.
- Association of Obstetric Fistula Surgeons of Tanzania (AOFST)
- Location: Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Kasulu, and Mbeya
- Partner Since: 2018
- Bugando Medical Centre
- Location: Mwanza
- Partner Since: 2018
- Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT)
- Location: Dar es Salaam
- Partner Since: 2012
- Maternity Africa
- Location: Arusha
- Partner Since: 2014
- Nkinga Referral Hospital
- Location: Nkinga
- Partner Since: 2021
Friends Support for Commuunity Development (FRI-SUCODE)
- Location: Manyara and Arusha
- Partner Since: 2024
- Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre
- Location: Arusha
- Partner in: 2011 – 2014
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre / Duke Global Health Institute
- Location: Moshi
- Partner in: 2014 – 2015
- Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic
- Location: Lake Tanganyika
- Partner in: 2011
- Women’s Dignity
- Location: Dar es Salaam
- Partner in: 2011 – 2012
Below are funding totals since the start of each partnership.
Current Partners
- Association of Obstetric Fistula Surgeons of Tanzania – $764,900
- Bugando Medical Centre – $534,835
- Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT) – $5,502,160
- Maternity Africa – $1,527,759
- Nkinga Referral Hospital – $483,577
- Friends Support for Commuunity Development (FRI-SUCODE) – $49,000.00
Past Partners
- Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre – $82,960
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre / Duke Global Health Institute: $19,150
- Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic – $50,000
- Women’s Dignity – $135,000