About – Terrewode

VISION:

Healthy, empowered women and girls embracing the world with improved livelihoods.

MISSION

To contribute to the elimination of fistula, improvement in sexual reproductive health and rights,
maternal and child health of women and girls through supporting healthcare systems transformation
provision of treatment, women and girls empowerment, enhancement of community capacity and support
systems, as well as research, awareness and advocacy.

OUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

The founding of TERREWODE was initially an idea conceived by Alice Emasu, then, a 16-old secondary school student. She was motivated by the shock of learning about the horror of two of the six of her former girl friends who suffered Obstetric Fistula; and four of whom perished during preventable child birth complications. At the time, maternal mortality was at 505/100,000 live births and it had stagnated for over ten years. This compelled Emasu to join the media industry to start creating awareness about Obstetric Fistula and advocate for interventions to eliminate it. Realizing that Obstetric Fistula was a national challenge, it required concerted efforts by all stakeholders with the women and girls at the fore front thus the idea of establishing The Association for Rehabilitation and Re-orientation of Women for Development- TERREWODE in 2001.

Emasu mobilized three women’s community groups composed of 90 members in Serere, Soroti and Kaberamaido districts. The primary aim was to develop best practices and innovations for eliminating Obstetric Fistula, and improving maternal and child health within the context of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).

TERREWODE model was built on collaborations and partnerships with Ministry of Health and other stakeholders. We sensitized, mobilized and referred women and girls identified requiring care for Obstetric Fistula to the medical training camps. These initial steps have resulted into the establishment of a specialized women’s hospital dedicated to the provision of holistic and routine treatment for Obstetric Fistula and other child birth injuries. The entity has contributed to significant levels awareness and actions on Obstetric Fistula in the country. It has over the years enabled treatment, reintegration and rehabilitation of over 6,000 women and girls with Obstetric Fistula and related child birth injuries.

OUR SERVICES