Eighties Guilt Fires Elton
Elton John says that guilt about a self-indulgent past provoked him to get involved in the fight against AIDS. He believes that philanthropy is more rewarding than all of his musical achievements.
The rocker founded the Elton John Aids Foundation just months after abandoning his hedonist lifestyle in 1990, and he has since gone out of his way to raise millions for medical research into the killer disease. He says, “In the 80s I didn’t really do much for Aids. I was too unreliable at that time in my life, with drugs and drink involved, to actually come to the fore and be accountable. “When I got sober in 1990, then I realised that my life was just so out of whack, so self-absorbed, so self-obsessed and six months after that I did get sober and I thought, ‘Right, I’m gonna do something now.’” The British star admits his charity work is now more rewarding than all his musical achievements and accolades - especially when he gets the chance to meet the people his efforts have helped. He adds, “It’s really, really satisfying. I am doing something decent with my life, I’m not wasting it. I’m not putting it up my nose, I’m not drinking it, I’m not putting it down my throat, I’m actually doing something that is worthwhile and I wish I had come to my senses much earlier.”
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Dear Friends,
On Behalf of Fistula Clients and the Management of Fistula Foundation Nigeria, we wish to introduce our organisation to you for proper collaboration.
Fistula Foundation Nigeria is an NGO based in Kano State Nigeria, established to prevent fistula and to manage the VVF irreparable clients who had series of Fistula surgery not successful and could not go back to their communities due to the shame that the condition has put them through. These patients are regarded as outcasts because they were divorced, rejected and ostracized by their communities.
Most of these old/irreparable clients camped themselves at different locations within Kano State and other neighboring states under trees, market stalls, under bridges etc, and engaged into different type of trades i.e. begging, food selling, nannies and Young girls who thought they had full lives ahead of them suddenly find themselves marginalized and alone for life. Some of them jump into commercial sex work for their sustenance as a result many of them died with HIV/Aids.
Though it is not the number of the surgeries that make these women to become irreparable, but was caused due to the extend of damages they sustain during childbirth, which lead to the total loss of their pan vaginal wall and ended up with lack of closing mechanism. While to some patients was caused by the different previous repairs they had by unqualified surgeons before coming to an expert.
AIM & OBJECTIVES
• Prevention of Fistula and manage the irreparable Fistula clients by provide free standing empowerment centre for them so as to stop them from roaming about in the major cities of Nigeria.
• Create awareness, community education and sensitization on general reproductive health issues including HIV/Aids.
• Empower and educate the clients on health related disabilities, psycho-social counseling re-integrate them back to their communities with proper follow-ups.
• Enhance the dignity and rights of those living with fistula (emphasis on irreparable patients).
• Influence programs and policies to promote the dignity and rights of the poor.
• Assisting the orphans and venerable children.
• Conflict resolution and fight against drugs among adolescent groups
ABOUT VESICO VAGINAL FISTULA (VVF)
Obstetric Fistula is a heartbreaking injury of childbearing. It occurs when a woman endures obstructed labor often for several days without appropriate medical intervention. The consequences are life shattering: This tragedy occurs when the sustained pressure of the baby’s head damages soft tissues on the mother’s bladder or rectum, which creating a hole (or fistula) that leaves the woman unable to control her flow of urine, or pieces or at times both .
The baby usually dies, and the woman is left with chronic incontinence. The smell often drives husbands and loving family members away. In many communities, women with fistula are considered “unclean” and stigmatized. Without treatment, their prospects for work and family life are greatly diminished.
Right now we have identified and registered more than 408 Fistula patients who are beyond repairs and are seriously in needs of shelter and support in life for the restoration of their lost dignity.
We believed that your support is highly needed either by donating, or sending this information to friends and family so as to alleviate the suffering of these unfortunate clients.
We are also looking forward to hear from you.
Regards.
Galadima Muhammad Sani
(Principal Program Officer)
Fistula Foundation Nigeria
+234-802 890 9552,+234 -802 350 6314
Comment by Galadima Muhammad Sani | September 19, 2007
i appreciate what the Lord is using this NGO to do in Nigeria, especially northern nigeris. i am a psychology student of covenant university and i want you to assist me in paying my next session school fees. though its not in line with your objectives but if you have the leading of the Holy Spirit to do it- you can. thanks for your anticipated response. GOD BLESS YOU! Amen
ADEMUWAGUN OLUFUNKE ESTHER
Comment by olufunke esther Ademuwagun | February 6, 2008