Support Midwives, Women, and Babies in Ethiopia through Hamlin Fistula NZ

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Support Christina, NZ Midwife walking ‘The Camino’ to raise funds for Hamlin Fistula.

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Christina Campbell, a NZ Midwife is walking The Camino Trail, a 950 km journey, as a fundraiser to improve women’s health and access to midwifery care in Ethiopia, and to highlight the importance of midwives in our communities.

Christina starts the trail on 5th May, 2019 (International day of the Midwife) from Saint Jean Pied De Port, at the foothills of the French Pyrenees, walking across Northern Spain to Finisterre- formerly known as ‘The End Of The World’, over 5-6 weeks.

Money raised will support Hamlin Fistula NZ (hamlinfistula.org.nz), a funding partner of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. Hamlin Fistula trains Midwives in Ethiopia with a focus to reach remote rural women, & those deprived of care in pregnancy & childbirth. This lack of maternity care often results in poor outcomes, death, or debilitating birth injuries such as obstetric fistula (a condition involving faecal and/or urine incontinence) which consequently isolates women from society after childbirth. Hamlin also runs the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, 5 outreach hospitals, the training of midwives & 60 Midwifery clinics across Ethiopia (hamlinfistula.org).

Christina has been a Midwife for 23 years, and would like to give back to those communities less fortunate than those in NZ. NZ women have access to what is esteemed as a ‘World Class’ maternity system, with the opportunity of free, individualised care from conception, during pregnancy, birth, & up to 6 weeks afterwards (midwife.org.nz ). However it is very important that this system with associated great outcomes for women & ‘the next generation’ in NZ is not eroded through lack of support & funding at a government level. Christina is passionate and very motivated to promote the importance of midwives in our communities, who provide a vital & essential service within the health sector.

Support Midwives= Support Women= Support Healthy Families/Communities

Christina is well prepared & motivated to ensure this fundraiser goes to plan.

Follow her progress on https://www.facebook.com/HamlinNZ/

We’ve done the talk.....it’s time to walk!

About us

Hamlin Fistula NZ is an independent charity established to raise funds for Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia's work to eradicate obstetric fistula.

Your donation is will be used to fund Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia's programs in Ethiopia, depending on where the need is greatest.

Use of funds

All funds and proceeds go to Hamlin Fistula NZ. Christina is self-funding her journey & time as her contribution to this great cause.

Aim is to raise $20,000 which will equip a remote midwifery centre in Ethiopia for 1 entire year.

Other page links

Hamlin Fistula Trust NZ Acknowledges Hamilton Midwife’s Journey 23 November 2019

HAMLIN FISTULA NZ, A YEAR IN REVIEW

The Dauntless Hamilton Midwife

Former Gisborne woman Christina Campbell and her fabulous team of Waikato midwives have together raised more than $12,500 for Hamlin midwives.

Not only did they host their 3rd successful Hamilton High Tea, raising $4,200, but Christina trekked 1,000km on the challenging, blister-raising Camino de Santiago trail in Northern Spain in a further fundraising effort that raised $8,390.

Beginning on International Midwives Day, May 5, she persevered for 5 weeks and 2 days and finishing by bicycle due to a foot injury, Christina raised awareness of the desperate need for access to maternity care for Ethiopian women. Her walk mirrored some of the challenges faced by fistula patients in reaching treatment! Knowing the challenges that midwives face serving in remote regions, she is passionate about enabling and supporting our midwives to serve at their best in preventing childbirth injuries. As quoted in the Gisborne Herald, Christina remarked, “What Reginald and Catherine Hamlin started is a very strong example of what can be achieved through compassion, dedication and perseverance in helping those in desperate need.”

Back home and still hobbling, Christina shared at the Hamilton High Tea an inspiring quote that she discovered along the trail in Spain. At a low time personally, she discovered the very spirit that inspired Dr Reg and Dr Catherine also gave her strength to finish her journey and inspire her service as a midwife and advocate for Hamlin.

An inspirational quote from ‘The House Of Silence’ on the trail:

“I dreamt that life was joy. I woke up and realised that life was service. I did service, and I found that life was joy”

Read more of her story at www.hamlinfistula.org.nz/christina

Christina and Waikato Midwives hand over a cheque for $12,350 to HFNZ.

Passing Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Northern Spain.

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