At just 20 years old, Nyakahoza from Kakonko District in Kigoma has already endured more than many people face in a lifetime. What should have been one of the happiest moments of becoming a mother instead became the beginning of a painful journey.
During her first pregnancy, Nyakahoza was in labor for four days. Her mother-in-law insisted that she deliver at home, delaying her access to medical care. By the time she reached the hospital, it was too late. Her baby had died and the prolonged labor left her with an obstetric fistula. “I developed a fistula one year ago during my first delivery. By the time I reached the hospital, my baby had already died,” she recalls.
The physical injury was only the beginning of her suffering. Living with constant urine leakage brought stigma and rejection from those closest to her. “After I started leaking urine, my husband and his family began to treat me badly. They bullied me, refused to give me food and spoke to me in a hurtful way. My husband also started beating me whenever he came home.”
Unable to endure the abuse any longer, Nyakahoza made the difficult decision to leave her marital home and return to her mother’s house, where she found the love and support she desperately needed. Shortly after, her husband married another woman.
Despite everything she had experienced, hope found its way to her through another fistula survivor. “I learned about Maternity Africa from a woman who had been treated there. She gave me the phone number of a doctor who helped her travel to Arusha. I contacted the doctor, and after that, they called me. In the end, I was able to come for treatment.”
Before developing a fistula, Nyakahoza helped her mother sell fish and worked on the family farm. The condition forced her to stop working, making everyday life even more challenging. Now, after receiving treatment, she looks to the future with renewed hope. “When I return home, I plan to continue our fish business and support my mother again. I am not planning to get married anytime soon.”
Today, Nyakahoza is dry again and she is ready to begin a new chapter of her life.
She ends her story with heartfelt gratitude: “I sincerely thank everyone for your kindness and for the free treatment you gave me. I pray that God will continue to protect you so you can keep doing this good work. I am now dry again, and I will be a good ambassador when I return home.”
Nyakahoza’s story is a reminder that timely access to quality maternal healthcare can save lives and prevent devastating childbirth injuries. It also shows that, with compassionate care, women living with fistula can reclaim their health, dignity and hope for the future. Every woman deserves a safe delivery. Every woman deserves the chance to heal.