Rwanda Mom Defeats Rare Fistula, Now Thrives as Tailor

When Julienne Nyirandinabo's weight plummeted to just 30 kilograms after childbirth complications in 2018, she couldn't imagine dancing again. But that's exactly what she did after doctors repaired the rare fistula that had confined her to a hospital bed for six months.

The 40-year-old mother from Gasabo District, Rwanda, developed a vesicocutaneous fistula following her third C-section. Urine leaked continuously through her surgical wound, which became infected and caused excruciating pain.

At the time, few specialists in Rwanda could treat her condition. She waited half a year in the hospital for a team from the International Organization for Women and Development, a U.S. nonprofit that partners with Rwandan doctors to provide free surgeries to underserved women.

The prolonged illness devastated her family. Her husband juggled labor jobs to earn money, cook meals, and care for their children, who sometimes missed school because he couldn't manage everything alone.

"My husband was a great support," Nyirandinabo said. "I didn't even know about fistula until I got it."

In October 2018, the surgical team arrived and successfully repaired her fistula. Rwanda's Community-Based Health Insurance covered the entire treatment.

When the catheter came out 15 days later and she could urinate normally, Nyirandinabo danced in celebration. "It felt amazing to feel normal again," she said.

The Ripple Effect

Her recovery sparked a complete life transformation. In 2021, she safely delivered her fourth child by C-section without complications.

The organization that saved her life gifted her a sewing machine in 2022. She had trained as a tailor in 2015 but could never afford the equipment to start her own business.

Now she makes uniforms and caps for healthcare workers in her community. Through her tailoring earnings and side jobs, she and her husband bought their first house and land in 2025, ending years of renting.

Nyirandinabo now encourages other women experiencing urinary leakage after childbirth to seek help immediately. She speaks openly with women showing similar symptoms, urging them not to delay treatment.

Since May 2022, Kibagabaga Hospital's Fistula Programme has examined 1,319 patients and performed 549 surgeries. Immaculée Kantengwa, a midwife at the hospital, says obstetric fistula typically results from prolonged obstructed labor without timely emergency care.

Early marriage, adolescent pregnancy, malnutrition, and delays in reaching health facilities contribute to the problem in Rwanda. Symptoms include continuous leakage of urine or feces through the vagina, chronic infections, and foul-smelling discharge.

The condition carries severe consequences beyond physical health. Many women experience depression and social isolation due to stigma, with some abandoned by partners or excluded from community life.

But Nyirandinabo's story proves that recovery and thriving are possible with proper medical care and support.