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Fistula Foundation

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Fistula Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on treatment of obstetric fistula, funding more repair surgeries than any other organization, public or private.[1][2] As of September 2024, Fistula Foundation supports hospital and doctors in more than 30 countries across Africa and Asia.[3] The foundation is dedicated to treating obstetric fistula by covering the full cost of fistula repair surgery for poor women who would otherwise not be able to access treatment. They also provide fistula surgeon training, equipment and facility upgrades that make fistula treatment as safe as possible, post-surgery counseling and support for healed patients. The foundation has been recognized by several organizations for its transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, earning a top "A" rating from CharityWatch and a four star rating from Charity Navigator for 16 years in a row,[4] placing it in the top 1% of charities reviewed on the site. In 2023, the foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott,[5] announced alongside a new five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation's In It to End It vision. The foundation has also been selected as one of 22 charities recommended[6] by Princeton Professor Peter Singer's organization, The Life You Can Save.[7] The organization's cost-effectiveness was also noted by GiveWell in 2019.[8]

Fistula Foundation
Founders
  • Richard Haas
  • Shaleece Haas
TypeNonprofit
FocusMaternal health
Location
Area served
Africa, Asia
MethodAid
Chief Executive Officer
Kate Grant
Chief Program Officer
Lindsey Pollaczek
Websitefistulafoundation.org

History

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Fistula Foundation was founded in 2000 by Richard Haas and his daughter Shaleece Haas, who both left the organization in 2005. It is headquartered in San Jose, California, and has offices in Kenya and Zambia. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $140 million from donors from more than 81 countries.[9] Until 2008, the foundation supported only the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, founded by the late Dr. Catherine Hamlin and her husband Reginald Hamlin.[10] In 2009, the foundation expanded its mission from funding only that hospital to addressing fistula treatment globally.[11] Since then, Fistula Foundation has supported projects in a total of 34 countries across Africa and Asia.[12] Since expanding their mission in 2009, it has provided more than 100,000 surgeries.[13]

Focus

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The need for fistula treatment far outstrips supply. For every woman who is treated, there are an estimated 50 more women who go without, according to the foundation[14] and affirmed by a peer reviewed published meta-analysis.[15] Because of this, Fistula Foundation focuses primarily on treatment, either directly through fistula repair surgeries, or by removing barriers to treatment through training of surgeons and the provision and equipping of medical facilities.[citation needed]

Since expanding to a global mission in 2009,[11] the organization has grown to help address the large unmet need. It now provides more support than any other organization including USAID[2] and the United Nations.[1] Countries where the foundation has supported projects include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Somaliland, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.[16]

The foundation also funds surgeon training, growing the pool of skilled fistula surgeons with the ability to perform what can be a very complex surgery. The organization supported the FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) Fistula Training Initiative,[17] which works to build the capacity of fistula surgeons in accredited training centers using the FIGO Global Competency-Based Fistula Surgery Training Manual.

Leadership

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Fistula Foundation is led by CEO Kate Grant, who joined the organization in 2005 as its first chief executive. Under her leadership, the foundation has grown from supporting one facility in one country to become the global leader in fistula treatment. In 2014, Grant was the recipient of the American Marketing Association Foundation "Nonprofit Marketer of the Year Award".[18] The foundation has a six-member Board of Directors; the chair is Ling Yang Lew.[citation needed]

Ratings

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Fistula Foundation has earned a four-star rating on Charity Navigator every year since 2005, an honor that only 1% of evaluated charities receive.[19] The foundation meets all Better Business Bureau Standards of Charity Accountability, and is a Top-Rated Charity on GreatNonprofits.[20] Peter Singer's organization The Live You Can Save has featured Fistula Foundation on its list of the "best charities for effective giving" since 2014.[21]

In 2015, it was selected by the investment firm The Motley Fool as their holiday 'Foolanthropy' partner,[22] raising over $75,000.[23] ConsumerReports published a list of recommended charities for the 2018 holiday season, naming the Fistula Foundation as one of only five international organizations.[24]

In 2019, the charity evaluator GiveWell said of the foundation: "From an initial cost-effectiveness analysis, our best estimate is that Fistula Foundation may be in the range of cost-effectiveness of our current top charities."[8] GiveWell's evaluation of the organization is ongoing.

Partnerships

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The foundation is a partner of the United Nations Population Fund's Campaign to End Fistula.[25] Other partners have included Direct Relief, the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the International Society of Obstetric Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS). The foundation was a primary funder of the Global Fistula Treatment Map.[26]

When the organization expanded to fight fistula globally in 2009, its first surgeon partner was Dr. Denis Mukwege of Panzi Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.[27] This partnership has continued ever since, and in 2018, Mukwege was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.[28] Another notable partner is Edna Adan Ismail,[29] founder of the Edna Adan Hospital and University,[30] former First Lady and Foreign Minister of Somaliland, and the country's first qualified nurse midwife.

Fistula Foundation has received funding and support from Johnson & Johnson. The company has partnered with the foundation for the last decade, providing almost $4 million in support.[31]

In 2014, the foundation launched its first countrywide treatment network in Kenya with seed funding from Astellas Pharma EMEA.[32] The initiative is designed to treat women, train more fistula surgeons, and build a lasting network of treatment providers. The foundation launched a second countrywide treatment network in Zambia in 2017, with the support of Johnson & Johnson. Cumulatively, the networks in Kenya and Zambia have treated more than 7,300 women, added 12 facilities to a nationwide fistula treatment network, certified 14 new fistula surgeons at FIGO global competency level, and held over 28,101 community outreach events designed to educate communities about obstetric fistula, how to identify it and where to receive treatment.[33]

Media

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Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas D. Kristof has consistently covered the foundation's work in his New York Times column, most recently in October 2019.[34] He first mentioned the organization in June 2005,[35] and again in June 2006,[36] February 2007,[37] October 2009,[38] December 2009,[39] May 2010,[40] May 2011,[41] May 2012,[42] June 2013,[43] February 2014,[44] March 2015,[45] March 2016,[46] and February 2018.[47]

The foundation also continues to generate attention through Grant's articles in international publications including The Guardian,[48] The Lancet,[49] The San Jose Mercury News,[50] Medium, and The Huffington Post.[51] The foundation was also featured in Kenyan television (CitizenTV,[52] NTV[53]) for celebrating the grand opening of the Gynocare Women's & Fistula Center, a hospital funded by Fistula Foundation's donors. Dr. Hillary Mabeya, co-founder of Gynocare, published an op-ed about his work as a fistula surgeon in U.S. News & World Report in May 2018.[54] PBS NewsHour aired a segment on Fistula Foundation's countrywide treatment network in Kenya in December 2017.[55] The organization has also garnered coverage in The Independent,[56] Rolling Stone,[57] USA Today,[58] Reuters,[59] NewsWeek,[60] NewsDeeply,[61] Money Magazine,[62] and MSN News[63].

The foundation was featured prominently as a top effective charity in the 10th anniversary edition of ethicist professor Peter Singer's book, The Life You Can Save. Singer's partnership with the foundation is longstanding.[64] In 2015, Singer put on a concert with Grammy Award-winning musician Paul Simon, which raised over $150,000 for fistula care.

The foundation was a primary sponsor of the documentary film A Walk to Beautiful which won the Best Feature-Length Documentary of 2007 from the International Documentary Association[65] as well as an Emmy for best long form documentary in 2008. The film tells the story of five Ethiopian women treated by Dr. Hamlin and her staff at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. PBS's NOVA is the other major sponsor of the documentary.[66] In 2016, Comedian Louis C.K. won $50,000 for the Fistula Foundation on the Jeopardy! "Power Players" edition.[67] Fistula Foundation was also featured in Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.[68] This campaign included a Facebook-based game, Half the Game.[69] Thanks to $250,000 in support from Johnson & Johnson, players of this game can help fund fistula treatment in the real world, through online actions in the game.[citation needed]

In May 2023, Ms. Magazine published an article written by Fistula Foundation's CEO Kate Grant, titled "Skip the Flowers: This Mother's Day, Help Save Women Who Suffer During Childbirth".[70] The article discusses the disparities in obstetric care for mothers around the world, and is a call to action for individuals to give to causes that support maternal health and to call on governments to support global maternal health.[citation needed]

MacKenzie Scott Gift

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In May 2023, Fistula Foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.[5][71] The donation was announced on May 23, International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, an annual even sponsored by the United Nations. The announcement of this donation coincided with an announcement of a new $110 million, five-year strategic plan. Under the plan, Fistula Foundation aims to provide 80,000 surgeries to women with childbirth injuries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The plan also includes a plan to extend treatment networks into five new countries and bring at least 40 new surgery and outreach organizations into the foundation's network of partners. While most of recipients of Scott's philanthropy have been organizations serving U.S. populations, Fistula Foundation is one of the few recipients to work with populations entirely in developing countries.[citation needed]

Allan Rosenfield Award

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The foundation's Allan Rosenfield Award recognized outstanding contributions of those who have left a deep and accomplished legacy for the foundation and its mission. The award was inaugurated in 2012, and is named for Dr. Allan Rosenfield, who served on the organization's board of directors for five years. As dean of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, Rosenfield was known globally for his pioneering leadership and myriad of contributions to the field of women's health.[72]

In 2016, Conrad Person of Johnson & Johnson was awarded for his key role in forging an enduring partnership between the foundation and its biggest corporate sponsor.[73] In 2017, the late Jerry Goldstein was honored as Fistula Foundation's longest-standing volunteer, dedicating a portion of his time every week since 2005.[74] Several past board members have been presented with the award, including Kelly Brennan, Larry William, Rob Tessler, Jerry Shefren, Kassahun Kebede, Linda Tripp, Teri Whitcraft, Bill Mann and Denis Robson.[75] Peter Singer is the most recent recipient of the award, received in 2023.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Intensifying efforts to end obstetric fistula within a generation: Report of the Secretary-General" (PDF). United Nations. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Fistula Care Plus: Annual Report October 1 2017 to September 30, 2018" (PDF). Engender Health/Fistula Ca. November 30, 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Countries Where We Help". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  4. ^ "Charity Navigator Rating - Fistula Foundation". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  5. ^ a b Foundation, Fistula. "Fistula Foundation Receives $15 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott That Will Catalyze a $110 Million Plan to Treat Childbirth Injuries". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  6. ^ "The Life You Can Save - Where to Donate". The Life You Can Save. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
  7. ^ "The Life You Can Save - Effective giving against world poverty". www.thelifeyoucansave.org. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
  8. ^ a b "Fistula Foundation". givewell.org. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  9. ^ "Annual Tax Returns | Fistula Foundation". www.fistulafoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  10. ^ Grant, Kate (2019-05-23). "Dr. Catherine Hamlin: the Humble Mother of Fistula Treatment". Medium. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  11. ^ a b "Annual Reports". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  12. ^ "Countries Where We Help | Fistula Foundation". www.fistulafoundation.org. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  13. ^ "What We Do". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  14. ^ "Fast Facts & FAQ". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  15. ^ Adler, A. J.; Ronsmans, C.; Calvert, C.; Filippi, V. (2013-12-30). "Estimating the prevalence of obstetric fistula: a systematic review and meta-analysis". BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 13 (1): 246. doi:10.1186/1471-2393-13-246. ISSN 1471-2393. PMC 3937166. PMID 24373152.
  16. ^ "Countries Where We Help | Fistula Foundation". www.fistulafoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-11-26.
  17. ^ "Fistula Training Initiative". www.figo.org. FIGO. Retrieved 2015-09-25.
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  19. ^ "Charity Navigator - Rating for Fistula Foundation". www.charitynavigator.org. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  20. ^ "Fistula Foundation Reviews and Ratings | San Jose, CA | Donate, Volunteer, and Review | GreatNonprofits". greatnonprofits.org. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
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  22. ^ Lomax, Alyce (2015-12-16). "Maximize Your Giving Dollars With an Investing Mindset". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  23. ^ "Motley Fool "Foolanthropy" Campaign Aims for $100,000 Investment in Fistula". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  24. ^ "ConsumerReports: Best and worst charities to donate to this holiday season". www.wrdw.com. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  25. ^ "Campaign to End Fistula | The Campaign". www.endfistula.org. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  26. ^ "Global Fistula Map". Direct Relief. Archived from the original on 2019-05-27. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  27. ^ Grant, Kate (2012-11-07). "Denis Mukwege: Do Not Stand Idly By". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  28. ^ Callimachi, Rukmini; Gettleman, Jeffrey; Kulish, Nicholas; Mueller, Benjamin (2018-10-05). "2018 Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Yazidi Activist and Congolese Doctor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  29. ^ Grant, Kate (2012-10-01). "The Muslim Mother Teresa". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  30. ^ "Edna Adan University Hospital | Treatment of Illnesses| Training of Midwives". Edna Adan Hospital Somaliland. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  31. ^ 2018 Annual Report - Flipbook by Fistula Foundation | FlipHTML5. Retrieved 2020-09-25. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  32. ^ "Our Partners". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  33. ^ "Our Plan to End Fistula". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  34. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2019-10-01). "Opinion | In a Career of Reporting, These Are Stories That Still Touch Me". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  35. ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (2005-06-12). "Opinion | The Illiterate Surgeon". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  36. ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (2006-06-13). "A Shining Example". On the Ground. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  37. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2007-02-25). "Opinion | 'They Think They've Been Cursed by God'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  38. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2009-10-31). "A Heroic Doctor, a Global Scourge". On the Ground. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  39. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2009-12-23). "Opinion | A Most Meaningful Gift Idea". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  40. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2010-05-08). "Opinion | Celebrate Mother's Day by Saving One". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  41. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2011-05-04). "Opinion | Beyond Flowers for Mom". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  42. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2012-05-12). "Opinion | Saving the Lives of Moms". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  43. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2013-07-13). "Opinion | Where Young Women Find Healing and Hope". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  44. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2014-02-05). "Opinion | At 90, This Doctor Is Still Calling". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  45. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2015-03-28). "Opinion | A Little Respect for Dr. Foster". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  46. ^ Kristof, Nicholas (2016-03-19). "Opinion | The World's Modern-Day Lepers: Women With Fistulas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  47. ^ Miller, Claire Cain. "How to Make the World a Better Place". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  48. ^ Grant, Kate (2016-05-23). "Why do a million women still suffer the treatable condition of fistula?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  49. ^ Anastasi, Erin; Romanzi, Lauri; Ahmed, Saifuddin; Knuttson, Anneka T.; Ojengbede, Oladosu; Grant, Kate (2017-08-01). "Ending fistula within a generation: making the dream a reality". The Lancet Global Health. 5 (8): e747–e748. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30226-7. ISSN 2214-109X. PMID 28551407.
  50. ^ "Opinion: Nobel Peace Prize winner is inspiration to all". The Mercury News. 2018-12-08. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  51. ^ "Kate Grant - HuffPost". www.huffpost.com.
  52. ^ Kenya CitizenTV (6 October 2016). "Gynocare Fistula Centre in Eldoret set to offer free corrective surgery". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  53. ^ NTV Kenya (7 October 2016). "Fistula surgery hospital opens in Eldoret". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  54. ^ Mabeya, Hillary (May 22, 2018). "Changing the Way Obstetric Fistula is Treated in Kenya". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2018-05-22.
  55. ^ "Erasing the pain and taboo of this female injury". PBS NewsHour. 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  56. ^ "Kenya's fight against fistula". The Independent. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  57. ^ Blistein, Jon (2016-05-19). "Watch Louis C.K. Win $50,000 For Charity on 'Jeopardy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  58. ^ Kelly, Cara. "Louis C.K. just won $50,000 for the Fistula Foundation on 'Jeopardy!'. But what is it?". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  59. ^ "Africa fights fistula with mobile money and community ambassadors". Reuters. 2017-07-17. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  60. ^ Verger, Rob (2014-10-11). "The Afterbirth Miracle". Newsweek. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  61. ^ "The Unsung Struggle to End the 'Curse' of Fistula in Bangladesh". Women and Girls. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  62. ^ "35 Smart Things to Do With $1,000 Now". Money. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  63. ^ "15 charities where you can see your direct impact". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  64. ^ Grant, Kate (2016-07-06). "Peter Singer: A Conscience for Our Time". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  65. ^ "Programs". International Documentary Association. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  66. ^ "NOVA | A Walk to Beautiful | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  67. ^ "Louis C.K.'s 'Jeopardy!' wins $50K for San Jose nonpropfit - San Jose Mercury News". Archived from the original on 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  68. ^ "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide". www.halftheskymovement.org. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  69. ^ "Half The Sky Movement: The Game". www.facebook.com.
  70. ^ Grant, Kate (2023-05-12). "Skip the Flowers: This Mother's Day, Help Save Women Who Suffer During Childbirth". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  71. ^ J. Jennings, Moss (23 May 2023). "San Jose nonprofit Fistula Foundation gets record $15M donation from MacKenzie Scott". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  72. ^ Segelken, H. Roger (2008-10-16). "Dr. Allan Rosenfield, Women's Health Advocate, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  73. ^ "2016 Allan Rosenfield Award". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  74. ^ "2017 Allan Rosenfield Award: Jerry Goldstein". www.fistulafoundation.org. Fistula Foundation. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  75. ^ Miscala, Mirabel (2022-01-19). "Three Champions for Fistula Care Receive Allan Rosenfield Award". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
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