After eight years of isolation, one woman is reclaiming her place in her community
When she was 18 years old, Malosa—a woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo— endured a traumatic labor that resulted in the stillbirth of her child and left her with obstetric fistula. The uncontrollable leaking that followed changed everything.
Unable to bear the scent caused by her incontinence, Malosa’s husband left her—marking the first of many isolating events to come.
Fistula cast a shadow over every relationship Malosa had. It disturbed her sense of belonging and stripped away the community connections that had once defined her life.
“I was unable to attend church with my family due to great embarrassment about my condition.” —Malosa, a fistula patient
Even her own family turned away, unwilling to assist Malosa in her time of need. The rejection cut deep—these were the people who should have stood by her, but shame and misunderstanding drove them away instead.
Eight Years on the Margins
The isolation was suffocating. For nearly a decade, Malosa moved through life on the margins, avoiding the gatherings and celebrations that once filled her days with joy.
She watched from a distance as her community continued without her—attending weddings, church services, and market days. All the moments that connect people to each other became sources of pain, reminders of what fistula had stolen from her.
Malosa believed this was how she would live forever.
Hope Appears
Finally, in February 2025, Malosa received word that free fistula surgery was available at our partner Vanga Evangelical Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For the first time in eight years, she felt a glimmer of hope.
Now unburdened by the cost of care and transport—thanks to the generosity of Fistula Foundation donors—Malosa traveled to the hospital where skilled surgeons performed the life-transforming surgery that she desperately needed.
The procedure was successful. Malosa was healed!
Today, Malosa is planning something she never imagined possible—a celebration in her village to announce her newfound health and proclaim her return to her community.
She’s stepping out of the shadows and back into the life that fistula stole from her. She’s reclaiming her place among family, friends, and neighbors. She’s recovering all that she had lost.
“Thank you for offering me this opportunity to live life to the fullest after eight long years of hiding myself and my condition.” —Malosa, a fistula survivor
Your Impact
Malosa’s transformation was made possible by compassionate donors who believe that no woman should suffer needlessly because of a childbirth injury. Right now, at least one million women across Africa and Asia are suffering in the same way that Malosa did. They’re waiting for the surgery that can restore their health and return them to their communities.
Your gift can make that possible.
A surgery that costs just $633 can restore 40+ years of healthy life for one woman. Will you help a woman like Malosa step out of the shadows today?
Published on December 11, 2025