Archive - Saturday, 13 January 2007


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Church helps African clinic

A group of Quinton Methodist church-goers have been making regular visits to help thousands of Ethiopian women.

Clive Hewitt from Victoria Avenue, Halesowen, has been raising money for the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, which helps women who have experienced problems in childbirth.

The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is the only kind in the world which treats the specific problems caused by childbirth and was originally set up 32 years ago.

Many women in Ethiopia and large parts of Africa do not have medical facilities available to them.

If they experience a difficult or obstructed labour complications may occur, which can lead to injuries leaving the women incontinent.

Due to the lack of trained doctors and the difficult terrain in Ethiopia, women suffering with bladder or rectum problems are often left untreated, therefore becoming social outcasts in their villages.

Honorary Treasurer for the Hamlin Churchill Childbirth Injuries Fund, Clive Hewitt, has made several visits to Ethiopia with other trustees including his brother, Malcolm Hewitt, Beverley Stewart and Rev Brian Taylor.

He said: "The four of us have experienced the signs of happiness as we saw so many women leaving the hospital with a very bright future in front of them."

The group recently returned from a visit where they opened a new Outreach Centre, a mini version of the Addis Ababa Fistula hospital, located in Yirga Alem which is a six-hour drive from the original hospital.

Clive Hewitt said: "We have committed ourselves, in addition to our existing commitment to the Fistula Hospital to cover the future running costs of the Yirga Alem Centre at about £100,000 per annum."

Yirga Alem Centre is the third centre out of the planned five which offers life changing medical intervention and allows the women to join their communities again.

Women who make the journey to hospital have sometimes travelled months to get there as they are not welcome on public transport due to the nature of their injuries.

At the hospital the women receive treatment to restore their health in three weeks. They also get a new dress, food and money to help them return home.

For further information visit www.charitynet.org/ HCCIF