Obstetric fistula is a condition most often caused by difficult childbirth.  It is usually a result of prolonged labor in which the unborn child blocks blood flow to the birth canal and surrounding tissues.  This damages the bladder and/or rectum such that a fistula or hole forms, causing women to leak urine and/ or feces uncontrollably.  Medical care is scarce  and the rate of successful surgeries is difficult to determine.  Maybe even more tragic is that these women after loosing their unborn babies  have often then been rejected by their families and societies because of the bad smell and the belief that fistula is a curse from God.  Because of the problem of early marriage (some of our women were married as young as five years old)  many of these girls are still in their early teens. What can they do with the rest of their lives?

Trampled Rose is committed first to do our part to educate in the country side about the causes and cures of fistula.  Although exact numbers of women who suffer are not available at this time and the exact cure rate is difficult to know, one woman is too many.  Prevention is the most important. Fistula has been virtually eradicated in developed countries it's not fair for the women of Ethiopia to continue in this kind of suffering.  Next medical care must be increased for women in childbirth.  Ethiopia still has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world.  It's not just for a woman to die or suffer with leaking waste in what should have been one of the happiest times in her life. Finally, the women who have already suffered this horror need skill training to prepare them to take care of themselves.  This includes literacy training and enterprising skills.

Trampled Rose, Inc. is a legally registered 501(c)3 in the United States since 2005 and Trampled Rose, Inc.  in Ethiopia is a legal registered NGO in Ethiopia.  We opened February 7, 2006 and have helped over 1500 women.

Rebekah Kiser is the Founder and Country Director in Ethiopia.

The amount used for program cost in 2011 was 78%.  The amount used for  Philanthropic Services was 10%. The amount used for administration was 12%.