Americans for UNFPA Founded in 1998, Americans for UNFPA is a non-partisan, 501(c) (3) charitable organization dedicated to building American support for the work of UNFPA and to restoring the United States’ moral and financial contribution to the organization. Its Web site includes educational/advocacy videos, women’s health and women’s rights fact sheets, e-News alerts and “Lifelines,” an online community of women from around the world sharing their lives and experiences with each other.

Direct Relief International
Based in Southern California, Direct Relief International works with pharmaceutical companies and medical suppliers to make sure hospitals and doctors have the equipment they need to reach out to those in crisis around the world.

Engender Health Through its Maternal Health Program, EngenderHealth currently has fistula activities in 11 countries in partnership with other international organizations, faith based organizations, public sector clinics, and national working groups on safe motherhood.

Family Care International The Family Care International Web site contains a vast amount of information on maternal and child health, including resource publications and executive summaries on relevant scientific and medical studies. The “Resources” link of the site contains links to several relevant publications and organizational links.

Fistula Foundation The Fistula Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of obstetric fistula through support of the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals in Ethiopia.

Healing Hands of Joy Healing Hands of Joy is a nonprofit corporation that has as its vision to help empower women who have suffered from childbirth injuries including obstetric fistula, who have become ostracized, unproductive members of their communities with little hope for the future, reintegrate into their communities and to train these women to bring basic maternal health care services to their villages. Founded by Allison Shigo, Co-Producer of the documentary “A Walk to Beautiful.”

Mercy Ships Mercy Ships is a global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978. Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the forgotten poor by mobilizing people and resources worldwide, and serving all people without regard for race, gender, or religion.  Fistula repair and rehabilitation is one of many services Mercy Ships works to provide.

One by One One By One contributes to the eliminations of obstetric fistula worldwide by engaging the public and providing financial support to those who treat and prevent fistula in the developing world. Using a modified giving circle model, One By One raises funds that help support the Campaign to End Fistula and the Bugando Medical Center Fistula Project in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Operation OF Operation OF is an international social enterprise focused on revolutionizing the approach to both treating and preventing obstetric fistula by engaging and empowering local communities in the developing world.

United Nations Foundation The United Nations Foundation works to elevate the status of adolescent girls on the global agenda through campaigns, partnerships and advocacy. Working with UNFPA and other partners, the UN Foundation has a number of initiatives focused on the prevention, repair, and elimination of fistula. Initiatives include spearheading the WFDA Breakthrough Summit Adolescent Girls Cluster, outreach and advocacy related to A Walk to Beautiful, an award-winning documentary film profiling several Ethiopian girls as they attempt to have their fistula repaired, and an obstetric fistula outreach and advocacy tour in New York City and Washington, DC in May 2008 that featured two fistula survivors and two fistula surgeons from Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Campaign to End Fistula In 2003, UNFPA and partners launched a global Campaign to End Fistula with the goal of making obstetric fistula as rare in developing countries as it is in the industrialized world by 2015. The Campaign works in more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Arab region, with a focus on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. In just three years, they have mobilized more that US $25 million from a variety of donors.

USAID Maternal and Child Health A number of USAID’s maternal health activities can help reduce the occurrence of obstetric fistula, with a focus on prevention rather than later surgical repair. These activities include increasing access to emergency obstetrical care, public awareness, community training, increasing attendance of skilled personnel at delivery, and advocacy and awareness. You can access the USAID Bureau for Global Health Fistula Strategy 2003 – 2008 here.

Women’s Dignity Project Based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Women’s Dignity Project works at the local, regional, and international levels to prevent and manage obstetric fistula, enhance the dignity and rights of those living with fistula, and promote gender and health equity. They mobilize action to address fistula and advocate for the health and rights of the poor, within a human rights framework.