Moyo spoke to The Messenger Media crew that visited the fistula care centre at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe to appreciate the progress made in the fight against a condition that has been deemed as curse to women across the society.

The centre is run by Freedom from Fistula Foundation that was established in 2008 by a UK business philanthropist Dame Ann Gloag to help women and girls who are injured and left incontinent as a result of prolonged and obstructed child birth.

The centre provides free surgical repairs and maternal care to fistula patients to prevent the reoccurring of the condition.

Moyo explains that in the course of their efforts to mitigate the suffering that fistula causes they have identified the need to empower women and girls affected by the condition in order to improve their welfare.

She says Bwaila Care Centre introduced Patients Rehabilitation, Education and Empowerment Program (PREP) that provide life skills to women and girls.

"Providing education to girl-child and empowering women help to reduce the number of fistula challenges girls and women face because they are equipped with proper knowledge on how to use preventive methods," she says

The National Coordinator explains that fistula survivors are taught life skills such as classes in literacy and numeracy, cooking, sewing, weaving and knitting that present them with opportunities for their future wellbeing.

“We also offer them micro-finance support and enterprise training to allow them manage their investments effectively and become self-reliant," she says.

Among many income generating activities through which some fistula survivors are eking their livelihoods include goat rearing, vegetable gardening, tailoring, tea room business, solar-powered charging stations, solar jet-flame etc.

The Coordinator has since pleaded for more support from well-wishers, saying the care centre needs at least a minimum of MK3million per months for its operations, mainly transport and meals for patients, but the figure might vary depending on the number of patients.

According to Moyo, when a patient has been identified, the centre shoulders the responsibility of providing transport for treatment, to and from her home.

Fistula is a condition whereby an abnormal hole develops between bladder or rectum and vagina caused by prolonged obstructed labor.

Previously, women with fistula were suffering in silence because coming forward was recipe for ridicule and discrimination by society, but sensitization and civic education has empowered many patients to visit hospitals for treatment.

Alternatively, women and girls suffering with fistula in communities are being identified through trained former patients and non-patients volunteers who refer the patients for treatment at health facilities.