Treatment Success Stories
Friends Become Sisters in Huambo, Angola
Loriana and Veronique are two women united by the journey of overcoming obstetric fistula. Loriana came from the municipality of Bailundo, arrived at the medical center in December 2025, underwent surgery in January 2026, and by March was fully recovered. Veronique, meanwhile, came from the city of Huambo and arrived in January 2026. Her case was more complex and required a longer recovery period.
When the time came for Loriana to return home in March, Veronique was deeply emotional. She wept and pleaded with her friend to stay by her side during her surgery and recovery, feeling she needed her support and companionship. Despite missing her own family and longing to go home, Loriana could not ignore her friend’s plea. With great generosity, she decided to remain at the village for another two months to care for and support Veronique.
Their bond strengthened daily from friendship into a true sisterhood. Their mutual care, words of encouragement, gestures of affection, and knowing glances filled the rehabilitation village with hope and inspiration. Their presence constantly reminded us that healing comes not only through surgery and medical care but also through emotional support, friendship, and love.
When they finally returned home together, they left a great void in the village. Yet, this is also the essence of our work: to welcome, care for, and accompany women, and then see them leave transformed—assured that their lives have been restored.
Three ladies from Kapilbastu, Nepal
These three ladies from Kapilbastu, a poor district on the Indian border in Western Nepal, came for fistula surgery and all went home healed.
All fistula sufferers have sad stories and these women had experienced isolation, shame, and fear since developing fistula through prolonged, difficult labors without medical intervention. However, they were among the most fortunate to have husbands who stood by them. Though each woman had lost her baby, each also had surviving healthy children.
When they arrived, Gita, was depressed and withdrawn. She isolated herself by sitting alone and not talking. She was the first to have her surgery. In the days that followed, she slowly began to cheer up, even to laugh, as she slept in a dry bed with her catheter.
In Nepal, catheters are removed two weeks after surgery, first testing whether the bladder has healed. On the eve of her test, Gita was anxious. She said, “If I am not well tomorrow please give me medicine so that I will die.” Happily, her bladder had healed and Gita went home smiling. In the photo, Gita is the precious sister in the blue sari, smiling from ear to ear!
All three of these sisters are now free to be the wives and mothers they are called to be and to live their lives among friends and family once again. Healed inside and out!
New Hope for Women in DR Congo
In July 2024, World Relief board members and some of their US staff visited a number of sites in DR Congo. One of those sites was our partner hospital, which does fistula repair surgeries for women who are victims of sexual gender based violence.
The team visited women in the hospital where they were spending 21 days recovering. The women were delighted and grateful for the support of Hope for Our Sisters in partnership with World Relief. To show their gratitude, they sang and danced for the board members!
Rumbi, DRC Country Director for World Relief, shared these words: “Their hearts are stronger as well as their bodies. We just want to say thank you so much to Hope for Our Sisters for the support that you are giving [to] bring hope to these women who suffered violence through the conflict that is happening in Congo.”
