“Having fistula is not the end of the world,” 20-year-old Halima told her fellow fistula advocates at a workshop in London. “Fistula can be cured: I am a living example of that.”

Halima was married at 18 and became pregnant soon after. Following three days of obstructed labour under the care of a traditional birth attendant, she was taken to a hospital in Niamey. There she received an emergency Caesarean section, but her son died after two days. Four days later, she began leaking urine.

When Halima returned home, she was ostracized by the community. “I will never be able to erase this experience from my memory,” she said. “I became the laughing stock of my village.”

Two months later, Halima arrived at Dimol, a fistula rehabilitation centre in Niamey where women receive psychosocial support and skills training in knitting, soap making and other trades before and after surgery. Halima exhibited natural leadership among her peers at Dimol, helping other women through their ordeal.

Following a successful surgery at a nearby hospital, she returned to her husband and is now working to build awareness in her community about the importance of family planning, girls’ education and skilled attendance at birth.

“I call on all fathers, brothers, husbands, mothers and aunts to please delay the age of marriage for girls so that they have the opportunity to be educated and active members of their society,” she said.