Locations: Burkina Faso and Burundi
Global Partner: The Fistula Foundation
Local Partners: Mutoyi Hospital, Burundi and FIGO Training Center, Burkina Faso
Project year: 2026
Training 9 African Surgeons
The project is to improve access to life-changing surgical care by strengthening the skills of local surgeons in Africa. Through a new surgeon training and capacity-building initiative, one surgeon, Dr Frido, from Madagascar will complete an intensive six-week residential apprenticeship at a FIGO-accredited training center in Burkina Faso, while eight surgeons in Burundi will participate in a hands-on surgical training and mentorship program led by Dr. Fekada, a surgeon from Uganda. The training by Dr. Fekada will be done at the Mutoyi Hospital. Together, these programs will equip nine surgeons with advanced skills to diagnose, repair, and manage obstetric fistula, helping to build sustainable surgical expertise where it is needed most.
Partnership
The training will be jointly funded by the Sumar Lakhani Foundation and the Fistula Foundation. This will provide funds to the doctors for travel, accommodations, training materials, mentorship, and clinical instruction. By supporting surgeon education rather than only individual surgeries, the Sumar Lakhani Foundation, in partnership with the Fistula Foundation, will create long-term healthcare capacity that will benefit thousands of women in the years ahead. The project is implemented by the Fistula Foundation in collaboration with the hospitals in Burkina Faso and Burundi.
