West Africa Fistula Foundation's recent trip to Sierra Leone to provide medical care for women suffering from fistula and other maladies.

1. WAFF 2015

2. WAFF THANKS YOU

3. Our new facility at Kakua

6. Our first kitchen tent donated by Doctors
without Borders

7. Tent converted to triage area

8. Paul Robinson getting temperature checked

9. Now a temporary kitchen

10. Great food no matter where we cook!

11. Even the cook is going to taste it

12. We serve great chicken to the patients

13. We sure needed some electricity and
thanks to the donors for the generator

14. We must take care of it though

15. Paul says let’s build it a home

16. Great, room for a back up generator,
workshop area and a store room

17. Elijah oversees the electrical work

18. Scaffolding comes in handy

19. Let us get down to business and do what we came
here to do and that is HELP THE PEOPLE. Tear out
the walls and build an operating theatre.

20. Walls removed and a very comfortable operating
theatre with the first patient on the table. Great
job Paul and associates!!!

21. Wow how wonderful!!!

22. Nice to have electricity and oxygen saturation
machine since we do not have access to oxygen in
the country

23. Now have a modern machine that determines
one’s blood count.

24. Now let us bring the patients to their new home
and see if we can fix them. They are now part of
our family.

25. Matron Aminata Swaray ready for admissions

26. Samuela and Fatmata have the beds, gowns and
flowers ready for the ladies

27. Get comfortable and have some flowers next
to our bed. Do I see a cell phone?

28. I’m ready and what are you folks waiting on?

29. Janet says you are welcome to the Julia ward
which has 12 beds at present.

30. You are welcome to the Maria ward (16 more
beds). Sisters that started the prettypurposeful.org
foundation and are supporters.

31. Dr. Mannah with Fatmata and Samuela

32. Robert is ready also. Always with that smile.

33. Time for PPE (personal protective equipment.

34. Robert do not spray me in the face.

35. Might lose a little weight if I do this much.

36. Patients passing the time with making beads to
resale.

37. These beads are beautiful!

38. Fatmata, Memuna and Marian getting food for the
patients. 3 meals a day.

39. This food is a must to help us get better and heal.
We also get fe, vitamins, zinc and other nutrients.

40. Oops! Where did that oil come from? Where is
Paul????

41. Thank God for Paul and his folks (Kabba). We have
only one operating table. (Only 2 ½ hrs downtime)

42. Dr. Mannah with John Mansary our anesthetist
and a Amie carrying her urine bag post op.

43. Grandma has only been wet for 44 years!!!! She
will gladly carry her urine bag for 2 weeks.

44. In the meantime. Timothy has a job to do as he
has a lot of pride in how his hospital looks. Look
out for the cobras!

45. Paul, Juana and our administrator Benedict are
busy making sure we are frugal to the penny.

46. Elijah is giving Paul receipts for every expenditure
and they are scrutinized. Maintenance on the
vehicles and generators are meticulously done
regularly.

47. Dr. Mannah takes time out to play with one of the
many babies that come and stay with their
mother.

48. I’m happy to be with my mother who is also
happy. Wow we all are happy!!

49. Marian with one of the patients’ baby.

50. To and from the hospital we see many different
sites. Wondering where he is going?

51. Probably not going to have as much fun as these
creative boys had building this car out of a oil can
and lids.

52. High dollar toy here!!!!

53. What about these high dollar toys. A worn out tire
and a stick. Bigga and Morrison here.

54. Freedom has been around for a long time and
looks like he is being taken care of by many. No
problem here.

55. A few weeks have gone by and they are doing well
with their foleys and urine bags. Posing for a friend
Paul Burke, District Fire Chief I recently met with
the Boston Fire Department that was the Chief
during the Boston bombing.

56. Two of our patients have been ministering to our
patients and this was a Sunday morning service.

57. Jinnah, Grandma, Mamie and Amie are all
participating in the service all run by the patients

58. Janet in her pretty Sierra Leonean dress on a
Sunday morning.

59. BoBo and Bigga do not seem to have much to
worry about. Pretty content I would say.

60. This young man seemed very happy he got a lift
from a friend.

61. A waste basket full of bladder catheters. We must
have some happy patients!!!

62. Very happy young ladies and how have they
bonded and did not know each other until a few
weeks ago. Happy to have their life back.

63. Oops someone is DRY!!!

64. Another plus many more and thanks to all the
donors for giving to our organization to make this
possible!!!!

65. Now ready to go home wearing normal dry
clothes.

66. Guess who is also happy? This is Grandma dancing
with Dr. Mannah.

67. Now it is time for Grandma to go back to the
village where she has been shunned, ostracized
and destitute for 44 years to inform them she is
DRY!!!!

68. Look what she is going in. The beautiful land
cruiser that our donors provided her with to ride.

69. Nurse Jeneba is spending hours with the patients
and giving them booklets with pictures to help
them understand what caused and how to prevent
Fistulas. Education is the key!!!!

70. Mamie and her son are happy to be going home.

71. Abigail and Memuna (former patient) help
with our skills training.

72. We pray that education reaches this young lady
before it is too late.

73. Look to the left next to water tank. Paul is starting
on the kitchen that is going to be the best out
door kitchen in Sierra Leone for his patients.

74. Now we know where to go.

75. Our Mantra

76. Never doubt that a small group of
committed citizens can change the
world…..Indeed it is the only thing that
ever has.
Margaret Mead
All that is needed for evil to prevail is that
good men do nothing

77. On a solemn note “EBOLA”

78. The most resilient people in the World!!!!!

79. We will not relent. We must go
on regardless. For why are we
on this earth. There is no
greater joy than helping our
fellow man.

80. West Africa Fistula wants to say
thank you to all our friends,
donors and supporters.
Darius R. Maggi M.D.
www.westafricafistulafoundation.org