But before I’m a mother, I’m a little girl. I want to be an air hostess. I want to revel in the beauty of nature and relish the fascination of men. I hope to run for public office one day…may be! I know I will eventually mature into a full grown woman and meet this man who will bestow upon me the title of wife. Then the time for the crown will come; please don’t cut my life short.
The film “A walk to Beautiful”, is a restoration of dignity. In a little village in Ethiopia, many young girls are married off as early as 8 years of age. With marriage,comes the responsibility of bearing of children which their undeveloped pelvic bones cannot endure. This coupled with the long distance to the health centers, puts these young girls in danger of unassisted labor. Some girls are in labor for as many as 7 days. They usually lose their babies as a result. In addition to the loss, the girls have to live with an almost permanent condition called obstetric FISTULA. The film hinges its story on a woman’s worth in society. How every woman struggles to embrace those qualities that preserve their dignity.
Fistula is a condition brought about by unassisted childbirth and affects women in rural parts of the world. A Fistula is a hole between the Vagina and rectum or the vagina and bladder caused by the unborn child pressing very tight on the birth canal, cutting off the flow of blood to the surrounding tissues and causing them to rapture. Women who have Fistula have a constant leakage of urine and or faeces.
If you think a broken relationship is the worst rejection you ever had to endure, speak to a woman with Fistula. Many of us cannot put up with bad body odor, smelly feet or bad breath. In fact, we have labeled some people in our environments as the smelly ones. We wonder why they can’t have a bath or use deodorant!!! I’m reminded of my very early days in boarding school, where my mother lectured me about intimate hygiene. She was concerned that there were no cotton panties for young girls in the 80’s.The most affordable brand was “Tiagiri”,which she didn't like,because it was made from polyester and therefore harbored unpleasant smells. She insisted on tailoring my panties out of cotton material with elastic bands for a close fit.That woman!!!! She would tailor quite a number to make up for "newstock" every time she came to visit. Those have got to be the ugliest panties I have ever worn!!! According to her, intimate hygiene, even for a young girl would have serious effects on how well she was accepted in society; and for her, not be the mother with a smelly child!!
I can imagine the life of a young girl with Fistula. The constant leakage of urine from her body produces a pungent smell that will soon have her ostracized by her family. She will not be able to look after her children or enjoy the fruits of the marital bed.
In Uganda, over 200,000 women live with the Fistula condition. A surgical procedure can correct Fistula by having the holes closed. The women have to stay in hospital for 14 days to allow for the healing to happen before they are sent back home to their families.
The dignity of every woman is affirmed by her ability to give life and nurture the ones she loves. Every day around the world, a woman wakes up with renewed energy to carry an extra pot of water, to gather her little ones and feed them, to show compassion to those who are hurting and to the one person who bestows upon her title of wife, she seeks to please. This is the essence of a woman! Let us preserve this dignity by increasing funding and awareness for Fistula. In that way, we shall wear the crown of Motherhood with pride.
