Meet Segunda Sezar. She was part of the September campaign in Bie. Once she knew she was cured, her joy was inescapable! On the day she left to return to her home town, she got dressed up in her Votoka shirt, the handbag she made herself, and a beautiful, tight skirt. She said, "I am going to wear this skirt the whole way home. I am going to parade through my suburb. I am going to say, 'Look at me. Look at me! God has blessed me - today I am cured!'"
Segunda is 38 years old and she's had 9 children, but only 4 of them are still alive. Her last birth had complications that resulted in a still-born child and obstetric fistula. Another 4 children died in infancy over the years.
Segunda has always been a very cherished person in her family - as a sister, an aunt, a mother, a daughter. When her fistula occured both her mother's family and her husband's family pulled her closer and showered her with more love and attention. They tried always to keep her smiling and to keep her happy.
Despite this, she still felt shame and discrimination. As an elder in her community she is in a position to counsel other people, to give advice, to support families during conflicts and issues. This is part of being a respected member of the community in Angola. However, since she had fistula she felt too embarrassed to go and support and give advice. She was afraid they might mock her for her incontinence, or be upset by her smell. So she isolated herself from this role.
Now, thanks to support from Fistula Foundation and Hope For Our Sisters, she is cured! Fistula Foundation funded the surgery which cured her incontinence. Hope For Our Sisters helped us to establish our ambassador network - which is how she heard about the chance for a repair operation, and was able to come to Bie for the latest campaign. Segunda is so grateful to be cured, and promises to spread the word about obstetric fistula, and to help other women who live with this terrible childbirth injury.
See her before and after her surgery:
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