New centre gives hope to African mums (From Halesowen News)

New centre gives hope to African mums

3:21pm Monday 19th May 2008

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A tireless Halesowen fundraiser has just returned from a visit to Ethiopia where he witnessed the opening of an outreach centre to help women who suffer horrific injuries during childbirth.

Clive Hewitt has raised more than £1million over the years to support the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and has visited the country more than 30 times.

The retired accountant's latest visit was to mark the opening of the hospital's latest outreach centre in Harar in east Ethiopia near the border with Somalia.

The hospital and its centres - it now has four - treat women who suffer injuries during prolonged labours. Some of these women would be left incontinent for life and social outcasts but can be completely cured during a three week stay. Clive also saw the charity's new Midwifery School open in Addis Ababa - the only one of its kind in Ethiopia.

Pensioner Clive, of Victoria Avenue, runs the Hamlin Churchill Child Birth Injuries Trust based in Popes Lane, Oldbury, which raises cash to keep the hospital and its centres up and running and celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

He said: "There are about 9,000 women a year in Ethiopia who have complications resulting in resious injuires during the delivery of their child resulting in incontinence which will be lifelong unless surgically corrected.

"About 1,400 women a year manage to get to one of our hospitals.

"The injuries mean these women are often abandoned by their husbands and families because of the offensive nature of the injuries and the smell. It was wonderful to see another centre opening.

"We have opened four in four years - these centres mean we are reaching more women and transforming more lives."

There are currently also outreach centres in Bahr Dar, Mekelle and Yirgalem - another is set to be built in 2009 in Metu in the West of the country near Sudan.

To donate to the charity or for more information visit the website at www.hamlinfistulauk.org

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