The Incredible Journey of the Unfortunate women with Obstetric Fistula

The Fistula Hospital is an Ethiopian landmark. Located in Addis Ababa, the hospital and the Hamlin Fistula Centers were founded by Catherine Hamlin (MD) and her husband Reginald Hamlin (MD) in 1974. In the time since then, Hamlin and her work have become well known throughout the world. The hospital provides service for women suffering from obstetric fistulas, often caused by extended labour without access to medical care. Women with this condition often find themselves isolated from their communities and families, with no way to support themselves. The treatment they get at the hospital often gives them a new lease on life, as EBR’s Kiya Ali observed.

The Hamer people are an Omotic community inhabiting southwestern Ethiopia, east of the Omo River and live in villages like Turmi and Dimeka. The Hamer have very unique rituals such as evangadi and a bull-leaping ceremony in which a young man has to succeed in order to get married. They are also known for their practice of body adornment and wearing a multitude of colorful beads. Although most of their culture and practices still exist, the Hamer people are now embracing the fruits of the modern world. For instance, they have become familiarized with paper money over the past five years. EBR’s Kiya Ali visited the Hamer people recently to observe their changing lives.

Still Untapped

Companies trying to connect with the buying public through creating unique brands is still a fairly new phenomenon in Ethiopia. Even so, some companies are starting to take the creation of a unique brand seriously, as a way to imprint a specific image of their company in their customers’ minds. EBR’s Kiya Ali spoke with some companies and branding professionals to get a sense of how they are going about building a better brand.

These days, free-to-air satellite television channels are increasing in Ethiopia. Contrary to the picture five years ago when only a few government sponsored television channels were operational, 16 private limited companies have currently received licences to broadcast their programs. However, governmental policy, access to quality content and huge capital requirements are jeopardizing the survival of TV channels especially those that have recently joined the sector as EBR’s Kiya Ali reports.