Overview

My name is Miriam and I am a 42 year old mother of 3 and fistula survivor. I got a fistula during a painful and long childbirth in 2015 and I had to have four surgeries at two hospitals. After the fourth surgery I am now dry and healed. Now that I am healthy I want to provide for my children by farming.

My goal is to lease land and grow crops to feed my family. I will sell the excess crops at the marketplace to get an income that I can use to pay my young children’s school fees. I learned farming skills and business skills after my surgery through an organization called Beyond Fistula.

I need funds ($220) to lease 1 acre of land and buy supplies to start farming . I plan to purchase seeds, fertilizer and farm tools. I am also planning to raise and sell chickens.

Meeting this need will help me because I have all the skills to make money farming and I am finally healthy enough to do physical labor. All that stands in my way is the capital to start. Once I lease 1 acre of land and buy farming supplies, my business can start generating income. The crops will feed my family and I will sell the excess crops and the chickens to pay my children’s school fees.

Validated

Validated by Debra from Beyond Fistula (What does this mean?)

Miriam has suffered for years with odor and stigma from an obstetric fistula. It took multiple surgeries before she was repaired fully and no longer leaking. She was socially ostracized due to the odor and leakage. She is now fully repaired and has attended our business and farm skills training seminar. The training has empowered her to want to lease land and grow crops to feed her family and to sell the excess at the market. She also created a business plan to raise and sell chickens. She received a great deal of peer support at our training program and feels more self confident and prepared to farm and sell chickens. Beyond Fistula will be following up with her and supporting her in her efforts.

About Debra

I am the co-founder and Executive Director of Beyond Fistula. I founded the nonprofit in 2012 after seeing how much these young Kenyan women needed help rebuilding their lives after recovering from a childbirth injury known as obstetric fistula. I am endlessly motivated by their hope and tenacity… Read more