Fistula Stories began with a conversation at a Women, Faith and Development Alliance Break Through Summit, and a grant from the UN Foundation to work on raising awareness of obstetric fistula. The pilot project, launched in September, 2009, worked with Christian young women (ages 18-30) to raise awareness and build confidence for advocacy and action towards ending obstetric fistula with this generation. As we continue Fistula Stories, we are focusing on extending our reach—within the member communions of the National Council of Churches, USA, among diverse generations, and across other faith communities.

The title “Fistula Stories” seeks to honor the courage and dignity of women who are obstetric fistula patients and survivors by listening to their stories and hearing the connections to our own lives and a global women’s movement. This curriculum also examines the connections between faith and action, exploring the complex components of giving and organizing “here” to help women “there.” Through intentional conversations and actions we hope to work to bridge the divide and create a world where all women are valued.

The word “story” is important for many reasons. The basis of Christianity is laid out in the Bible, and it is through the telling of these sacred stories that the community learns what it means to live our Christian faith. Women have often been storytellers, preserving for their communities the important memories of where they come from and who they are. It is critical for each of us to learn that she has her own story to tell, and to learn how to hear one another’s story and share our own with integrity and respect.

These stories are not always comfortable stories of happiness or triumph; in fact they are often stories of trouble and oppression. Arguably the most important story in Christianity is one of suffering and death. Stories that make us uncomfortable often teach us the most about life and about hope for the future. We must listen to these fistula stories with care and humility, considering what it might mean for women who have suffered shame and isolation to share their stories publicly.

Many women’s stories are told in the pages of this curriculum and on our website www.fistulastories.org. Each woman tells her own story and has given permission for her story to be made public. We hope that our website will become a locus of connection, as its blog features not only the story of women affected personally by fistula, but the stories of the women using this curriculum and many others in between. In this way we hope to join in solidarity as we stand together to end to fistula in this generation.

It is with great hope and humility that we present this curriculum, and we hope that you find it useful as we labor together to bring God’s justice to our world.

Sincerely,
Meagan Manas
Fistula Grant Coordinator
Women’s Ministries at the National Council of Churches of Christ

Contact Us
Meagan Manas and/or Ann Tiemeyer
Fistula Stories
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 800
New York, NY 10115

212-870-2516
mmanas@ncccusa.org

Our Partners
The National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Women’s Ministries at the NCC
The United Nations Foundation

Special Thanks to:
Robert Brunson, Graphic Design
Scott Lenger, Web Guru
The United Nations Population Fund
Operation Healing Hope