*Y.C.* Mimidae
Location
Mimidae will empower young obstetric fistula survivors that have been ostracized from their villages. We will serve as a center for healing and self-empowerment. Mimidae's innovative model will provide living quarters for a period of three years during which time they will gain both classroom and hands-on midwife training, gain administrative/managerial skills, learn about family planning methods and the dangers of early childbearing. Following their train, each woman will be able to administer health care services and education in areas with high obstetric fistula rates. Trained midwives will provide infant and maternal care as well as education and job opportunities having high impact not only on the fistula rate but the root causes as well beginning a necessary shift in the cultural and economic perspective on women. Our program will not only strengthen fistula survivors and communities but also encourage women living in shame because of obstetric fistula to come forward. Mimidae uplifts communities by empowering women. Strong and healthy women create strong and healthy communities.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Yeabsi
Last Name
Mehari
Website
Organization
Mimidae
Country
United States, CA
Are you an individual between the ages of 18 and 35 who would like to apply for a nine month Young Champions Program mentored by an Ashoka Fellow?
Yes
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Mimidae
Organization Website
Organization Phone
703.302.9365
Organization Address
600 T Street NW, Washington DC
Organization Country
United States, DC
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
Your idea
Name Your Project
*Y.C.* Mimidae
Country your work focuses on
Ethiopia, XX
Describe Your Idea
Mimidae will empower young obstetric fistula survivors that have been ostracized from their villages. We will serve as a center for healing and self-empowerment. Mimidae's innovative model will provide living quarters for a period of three years during which time they will gain both classroom and hands-on midwife training, gain administrative/managerial skills, learn about family planning methods and the dangers of early childbearing. Following their train, each woman will be able to administer health care services and education in areas with high obstetric fistula rates. Trained midwives will provide infant and maternal care as well as education and job opportunities having high impact not only on the fistula rate but the root causes as well beginning a necessary shift in the cultural and economic perspective on women. Our program will not only strengthen fistula survivors and communities but also encourage women living in shame because of obstetric fistula to come forward. Mimidae uplifts communities by empowering women. Strong and healthy women create strong and healthy communities.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
There are a handful of organizations that are focused on preventative care and maternal mortality rate reduction yet none of these organizations work with fistula survivors. Mimidae will be the first program that will solely work with fistula survivors in Ethiopia. No one can understand the plight of women and children more than these young women. We believe health care centers run by them will be most effective because they are familiar with the psychological, socio-economic and cultural impact of fistula. Further, they will be less likely to advocate for child marriages. We also believe empowering young fistula survivors will 1) decrease the rate of new and recurring fistulas 2) break the cycle of shame and dependence 3) inspire women who are living in shame with fistula to step forward and 4) change societal and cultural views of girls and child marriages consequently leading to a reduction in child marriage rates. These young women have survived fistulas and have been ostracized from their communities but they will be empowered through self-sufficiency and education equipping them with the necessary tools to ending obstetric fistula.
What also makes our program innovative is our implementation method. Each health care provider will serve a population within a small radius. This will prevent problems faced by other health care centers such as over flooding or lack of utilization. We will also have a higher impact because the midwife to population ratio will decrease. It is currently at 1 midwife to 100,000! (As reported by Dr.Sahlu Berhane of the Packard Foundation). Obstetric fistula statistics have increased over the past five years though more hospitals are being built. For this reason, Mimidae believes a comprehensive approach will have more impact.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Mimidae is currently not on the ground. However, our impact has been on the level of awareness regarding obstetric fistula. Our most recent event brought over 100 people in. By a show of hands, over 90% of our audience did not know what obstetric fistula was! The men to women ratio was almost even. More men now know what obstetric fistula is. We held a panel discussion post event, and needless to say it was amazing. The discussion was open, honest and informative.
We continue to write to legislative bodies pushing for maternal health to be included in public policy agendas. Mimidae also attends midwifery conferences and university functions bringing maternal issues such as obstetric fistula to the forefront of conversations.
Problem
A condition eliminated in the US during the 19th century currently afflicts an estimated 2 million women, claiming the lives of another 800,000 each year in the underdeveloped world. An obstetric fistula is a tear between the vagina and bladder, urethra or rectum that occurs during childbirth. The result: incontinence and a broken spirit. The consequences of obstetric fistula can leave a girl physically impaired, emotionally scarred, psychologically damaged and socially ostracized. Lack of obstetric care plays a significant role- currently only 1 midwife per 100,000 people- yet child marriages remain the primary cause of fistula. In developing countries, fistulas are primarily a byproduct of child marriages. The strong correlation amongst child marriage, women's status and fistula suggests that an integrated approach focused on education, awareness and obstetric/maternal care will decrease fistula rates.
Actions
Midwives are crucial in a country such as Ethiopia, which has the lowest number of trained midwives in sub-Saharan Africa as well as one of the highest maternal mortality rate. According to a 2006 UNFPA report, there is only one nurse or midwife for every 62,000 Ethiopians. Organizations such as the UNFPA, EngenderHealth, and The Fistula Foundation agree that ensuring access to health care especially midwife & obstetric services, educating young men and women, empowering women to become self-sufficient and raising awareness will be critical steps in the fight to end fistula. To this end, Mimidae has designed a pilot program that aims to integrate health, education and self empowerment programs. After many years of research, Mimidae is ready to implement the pilot program. We are in partnership talks with the African Birth Collective, International Confederation of Midwives, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital as well as CSR Departments. Our team includes three doctors one of whom worked at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, several midwives and volunteers. We are currently raising awareness as well as much needed funds to get our pilot program going.
Results
Our innovative approach will decrease gender inequality, maternal mortality and child marriage rates while increasing access to health care and education, promoting human rights and self empowerment, and providing economic opportunities for growth and development. We hope to have more concrete results once our programs implementation process has begun.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year One --Planning Phase
I. Framework Activities
A. Coordinate Resources
i. Secure Location
a. Assess condition of estate
ii. Set up center
a. Supplies from partners
b. Furnishings from contributors
II: Contact Partners
A. Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital
1. Recruitment and selection process
2. Develop evaluation report templates
B. Black Lion Hospital
1. Clinic day availability
2. Monitoring and evaluation reports
C. CSR Departments
1. Plan Donation Timeline & Logistics
2. Develop accountability & evaluation reports system
Year Two--Implementation Phase
I: Program Management
A. Coordinate volunteer teachers
B. Plan and Coordinate academic and clinic day schedule
II: Re-Contact Funding Sources
A. CSR Departments
1. Plan Donation Timeline & Logistics
Year Three--Pilot Program Launches
In the first round of our extensive program, ten fistula survivors that have been ostracized will join Mimidae. The women will live together, creating a healing environment that encourages openness and discussion. Each woman will complete a comprehensive midwife training program with an academic focus on the need for midwives, standards for care and concepts. Our women will observe ante-,intra-and postpartum, infant and maternal care, risk screening, emergency measures and follow-up procedures during their clinic days. Their time at the hospitals will help them obtain hands-on clinical skills and understand the administrative workings of an independent clinic. Upon graduation, they will pair up and select a village with a signficant need for maternal care where they will serve as a midwife and health care provider creating job and educational opportunities.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
The first and most obvious one is financing. Without financing our program will not be able to launch the program all together.
We do expecting illiteracy and cultural boundaries preventing Mimidae from implementing the program efficiently. However, Mimidae does not aim for efficiency but rather long lasting change.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Is your organization a
Not registered
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
Less than a year
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with government?
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Partnerships will be vital to Mimidae’s inception. For example, CSR departments will donate furniture and old computers, International Confederation of Midwives will donate educational supplies and medical tools used for in class exercises. Certain partnerships will provide us volunteers through an internship program Mimidae is working to establish. Without these partnerships, Mimidae cannot come to exist unless Mimidae is given access to an excessive amount of funds. Mimidae believes that through creative and progressive collaborations, pressing health issues could be more readily solved.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. Obtaining funds
2. Solidifying partnerships especially with the Addis Abeba Fistula Hospital because fistula survivors would be connected to Mimidae through them.
3. Connecting with communities to build trust and long-lasting relationships.
(not in order of importance)
The Story
What was the defining moment that you led to this innovation?
Having grown up in Ethiopia, I have witnessed the long lasting effects of socio-economic disparities on communities. With no running water, plumbing, electricity and safe roads being scarce, rural areas remained underdeveloped. Much of what I've seen stuck with me and the need to effect social change grew deeper. In 2001, I learned about obstetric fistula and was shocked by every fact and story I read. A memory of my father telling me I was lucky to have a good family "...you could have been one of those many girls that was be married off at 13" echoed in my mind. The connection to the issue was immediate. I decided that I would work towards building a nonprofit--once I knew how I was going to tackle the issue.
In 2007, I met two fistula survivors at a speaking event (Scaling Up Midwives) at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. Their strength, humility and commitment to life despite having experienced extreme trauma was (still is) empowering. After our interaction, I thought that perhaps by working with fistula survivors, we would not only save individual lives but whole communities as well. After three years of research, development and preparation, Mimidae is ready to launch its first pilot program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Born and raised in Ethiopia, she attended an international school from elementary school, all through high school exposing her to the various cultures of the world. Living in Ethiopia simultaneously exposed her to the many social ills that had riddled the country. She could not comprehend the stark differences that existed amongst the rich and poor. It is for this reason her life’s mission is to effect positive social change in any capacity. Yeabsira is a strong advocate for women's rights and maternal/child health (MCH). Currently, she is a very active co-chair of the United Nations Association LA Chapters YPIC (Young Professionals for International Cooperation). Yeabsira is also an active member of Feminist Majority Foundation, has served on the National Capital Ethics Committee board in Fairfax, VA and has worked with Help Uganda as an Advocacy Strategist for child soldiers. She is also a fellow at the StartingBloc Institute for Social Innovation. In her free time she enjoys reading, movies, learning how to play the guitar, outdoor camping and hiking, painting…and anything else that peaks her interest.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Personal contact at Changemakers
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
 | ytmehari said: (Read Below) about this Competition Entry. - 696 days ago read more > |
| ytmehari said: (Read Below) about this Competition Entry. - 696 days ago read more > |
| ytmehari said: Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciate the feedback and questions. I started with a short background on fistula. Quick ... about this Competition Entry. - 696 days ago read more > |
| miller32 said: I think this idea is great and could potentially really help these women, however, I have some questions about how you think it will be ... about this Competition Entry. - 698 days ago read more > |
| kellycastagnaro said: Yeabsi, I think this is a very interesting idea, and I think the concept of empowering fistula survivors to make change in their ... about this Competition Entry. - 698 days ago read more > |
| ytmehari updated this Competition Entry. - 699 days ago |
| ytmehari submitted this idea. - 699 days ago |
