Since 2017, the Claudine Talon Foundation has been developing an integrated approach to eradicate obstetric fistula in Benin. The project targets women excluded from the community, works towards their healing and financial empowerment for a sustainable social reintegration.
“Zero Fistula in Benin” is a multidimensional intervention integrating three components at national level:
• SEARCH FOR WOMEN WITH FISTULA
The Foundation collaborates with NGOs and trained community relays, whose mission is to detect women with fistula and follow up on
healed women. It also carries out radio and television awareness campaigns and has set up a free telephone hotline (information, case registration).
• SURGICAL INTERVENTION
To date, sixteen surgical missions of foreign and national specialists have been conducted with the support of the Foundation. The transfer of
skills and post-operative follow-up are parts of these missions. In 2019, 114 women were operated on and a 73% cure rate was recorded.
• SOCIO-ECONOMIC REINTEGRATION
This component aims to set up an individual micro-enterprise for each healed woman: technical training (soap making, weaving,
beading, sewing, knitting), material and financial endowments to start an Income Generating Activity (IGA). To this end, the Foundation has created two post-operative care centers, one in Tanguiéta (2018) and the other in Parakou (2020). A third center in the south of the country is planned for 2021. The project is currently in its fourth year and has contributed to the reduction of the number of women victims as well as to the improvement of their socio-economic status.
• 304 Femmes depistees
• 247 Femmes operees
• 204 Femmes depistees
• 156 Femmes appuyees pour des agr
