Fistula Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on treatment of obstetric fistula, funding more repair surgeries than any other organization, public or private. As of September 2022, they support hospitals and doctors in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia. The foundation is dedicated to treating obstetric fistula by covering the full cost of fistula repair surgery for poor women who would otherwise not be able to access treatment. They also provide fistula surgeon training, equipment and facility upgrades that make fistula treatment as safe as possible, post-surgery counseling and support for healed patients. The foundation has been recognized by several organizations for its transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, earning a top "A" rating from CharityWatch and a four star rating from Charity Navigator for 16 years in a row, placing it in the top 1% of charities reviewed on the site. In 2023, the foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, announced alongside a new five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation's In It to End It vision. The foundation has also been selected as one of 22 charities recommended by Princeton Professor Peter Singer's organization, The Life You Can Save. The organization's cost-effectiveness was also noted by GiveWell in 2019.
History
Fistula Foundation was founded in 2000 by Richard Haas and his daughter Shaleece Haas, who both left the organization in 2005. It is headquartered in San Jose, California, and has offices in Kenya and Zambia. Since its inception, the organization has raised more than $140 million from donors from more than 81 countries. Until 2008, the foundation supported only the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, founded by the late Dr. Catherine Hamlin and her husband Reginald Hamlin. In 2009, the foundation expanded its mission from funding only that hospital to addressing fistula treatment globally. Since then, they have supported projects in a total of 34 countries across Africa and Asia. Since expanding their mission in 2009, they have provided more than 75,000 surgeries.
Focus
The need for fistula treatment far outstrips supply. For every woman who is treated, there are an estimated 50 more women who go without, according to the foundation and affirmed by a peer reviewed published meta-analysis. Because of this, Fistula Foundation focuses primarily on treatment, either directly through fistula repair surgeries, or by removing barriers to treatment through training of surgeons and the provision and equipping of medical facilities.
Since expanding to a global mission in 2009, the organization has grown to help address the large unmet need. They now provide more support than any other organization including USAID and the United Nations. Countries where the foundation has supported projects include Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, Somaliland, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The foundation also funds surgeon training, growing the pool of skilled fistula surgeons with the ability to perform what can be a very complex surgery. The organization supported the FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) Fistula Training Initiative, which works to build the capacity of fistula surgeons in accredited training centers using the FIGO Global Competency-Based Fistula Surgery Training Manual.
Leadership
Fistula Foundation is led by CEO Kate Grant, who joined the organization in 2005 as its first chief executive. Under her leadership, the foundation has grown from supporting one facility in one country to become the global leader in fistula treatment. In 2014, Grant was the recipient of the American Marketing Association Foundation "Nonprofit Marketer of the Year Award". The foundation has a six-member Board of Directors; the chair is Ling Yang Lew.
Ratings
Fistula Foundation has earned a four-star rating on Charity Navigator every year since 2005, an honor that only 1% of evaluated charities receive. The foundation meets all Better Business Bureau Standards of Charity Accountability, and is a Top-Rated Charity on GreatNonprofits. Peter Singer's organization The Live You Can Save has featured Fistula Foundation on its list of the "best charities for effective giving" since 2014.