Following months of preparation, the fourth pilot of Project Zero, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia’s groundbreaking program to achieve Catherine Hamlin’s vision to eradicate obstetric fistula, launched on 22 March 2025. This comes after the first three successful pilots in Ale, Didesa and Seharti Woredas.
About Fedis Woreda
Fedis Woreda is a district located in the eastern Hararge Zone of the Oromia region in eastern Ethiopia. Located approximately 320 miles from Addis Ababa and 22 miles from Hamlin’s Harar Fistula Hospital, it comprises 21 kebeles (neighborhoods), two of which are urban and the rest largely rural. The local economy is primarily based on agriculture, with most of the population engaged in farming activities.
Fedis Woreda is affected by malaria, malnutrition and cholera, making it very important to improve and support its healthcare system, especially the maternal healthcare unit where women sustain childbirth injuries due to malnutrition and other related health issues.
Estimated population
176,224
Estimated women of reproductive age
38,503
Health centers
5 (Fedis, Fechatu, Negeya, Riski and Talo)
Other health posts
21
The Preparation Phase
The Fedis Project Team was established following a stringent recruitment process and includes a Team Leader, a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, two Hamlin Midwife Mentors and a Prevention Officer. The team will be based in an office provided by the woreda’s health office and the Boko health center.
The team members completed induction training including:
- detailed information about Project Zero including its goals and vision
- hands-on training in obstetric fistula screening and diagnostic methods
- being shown the tools used for conducting awareness raising and house to house surveys
- detailed information about the woreda’s maternal healthcare system using Hamlin’s standard assessment.
The woreda’s maternal healthcare system was assessed using the Hamlin standard assessment, which identifies gaps in the management, skills and knowledge of the healthcare providers working in the maternal health unit of the health centers and the woreda’s maternal healthcare system overall.
Women’s awareness of obstetric fistula was also evaluated through a prepared questionnaire. Results from these assessments show that current awareness is 30.9% - the aim is to increase this to 70%.
The Launch
The Fedis Woreda Project Zero launch event was held on 22 March in Harar, attended by the senior management of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, the team from Hamlin’s Harar Fistula Hospital and stakeholders from the East Hararge zone and Fedis Woreda.
The event began with a blessing from religious leaders, followed by an opening speech by Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia’s CEO, Tesfaye Mamo. Tesfaye and the head of the woreda health office then signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
A briefing followed from Hanna Tesfaye, the project coordinator. Ayub, the team leader, then gave an overview of the activities planned, highlighting the key tasks of the first phase. Participants shared ideas on how to work together effectively to improve Fedis Woreda’s maternal healthcare services and prevent obstetric fistula.
The Next Steps
The first four weeks are concentrating on raising awareness of obstetric fistula in the woreda via education sessions for healthcare providers and other community and religious leaders. This is followed by house-to-house surveys to find women with obstetric fistula and transport them to a Hamlin fistula hospital for treatment.
