operation fistula operation
if there’s one thing that makes a person feel less depressed about their own troubles, it’s getting involved in something really worthwhile. (true fact!)
and when i read about something really terrible yesterday, i knew i had to do something.
what i read about is fistulas. funny word, funny thing. except not funny at all, of course.
imagine you’re giving birth (men, i know this won’t be easy, but imagine anyway). the birth is difficult, causing strain on both baby and mother. in the UK, you can have a caesarean lickety-split, and there you go - healthy mother and child. in the developing world, you just have to keep on pushing, perhaps for up to 10 DAYS - at the end of which the child will either be dead or very disabled, the mother in terrible pain and left with one or more fistula - which will leak urine, faeces, or both, for the rest of her life, leading to her being ostracised by her community, even her family.
at first, i thought i’d give $5 (£2.50-ish) to the UN’s family population fund campaign to end fistula - that’s enough to provide a week’s food to a recovering patient, and no skin off my nose. but then i thought, what if i could raise MORE? if i could find fifty-nine other people who would also give $5* then we’d have $300, enough to pay for one woman’s operation, including food and aftercare. we could give a small amount of cash each, and change a woman’s life.
are you up for it?
i hope at least some of you are - if so, carry on over the page for the donation details. (i *heart* you).
how to donate: (new and simplified!)
i was going to set up a justgiving page so people could donate directly to that, but as the UNFPA isn’t an English charity, that’s not possible. you can of course give directly to the UNFPA (go here) but then it won’t be much of a group effort. (although if you do do that, please email and let me know!)
so i’m asking people to donate via paypal (if you don’t have an account, it’s secure and totally easy to set up) - the email to input when prompted is dianewhatdoyoudo@googlemail.com. or, even easier, just click on the paypal badge at the very top of my sidebar to the right >>>>>
if you have any trouble getting paypal to work, email me and we’ll sort something out!
not only do i pledge, promise and swear that i’ll pass the cash on, i’ll post screenshots of me doing so. (there must be 59 people on the internet who trust me).
let operation fistula operation commence!
*yes, you’re more than welcome to give more.
October 7, 2007
Fantastic idea
x
October 7, 2007
Great idea Di, good for you x
October 7, 2007
thanks guys - you’re fab! :)
October 7, 2007
Great idea, Di. I have heard the term but never quite understood it. Thanks for enlightening me!
xo
October 8, 2007
Been there, done that and donated.
What a brilliant idea Di. Hope you get your 59 peeps.
xx
Hi Suz!!
October 9, 2007
Hi Jas!
Good to see you! Just want to tell you Brits that I am feeling pants today…mostly because I like the expression so much…heehee!
xx
October 9, 2007
Done! Great initiative.
October 9, 2007
I did see something about fistula on ‘Oprah’ and was planning to donate, so was pleased to see this post - it’s a really good idea. Have just donated, but this is the first time I have used PayPal, so hope it has worked!
October 10, 2007
Thanks peeps! Yes Sue, it worked! :) Thank you xxx
October 10, 2007
Found details of your mini-campaign on Mrs Mac’s blog, and am delighted to give you 5! Hope you reach your target very soon, its a very worthy cause.
October 11, 2007
Thanks so much Jo! :) And the lovely Ms Mac, too of course!
*mwah* xx