10/22/2026
Miracles Do Happen
I met Malika in 2012 in the Afar Region of Ethiopia.
Malika was infibulated - the worst form of FGM - as a child and suffered the psychological and physical traumas, worsened by her husband on their wedding night when consummation was impossible and a razor blade was used. When she gave birth, she had a difficult and prolonged labour which resulted in an Obstetric Fistula, leaving her permanently incontinent.
Having met Malika and heard her story, I could not walk away. I met the clan leader of her community who said that he would take Malika to the health center, 40 km away, to be assessed.
To my delight and astonishment, the next day, I made an unexpected stop at the health center to be greeted by the clan leader, Malika, her mother, and baby. Tears all round. A tin pot was passed through the waiting area to collect invaluable funds for Malika’s treatment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8lV1z4zy7g
