It is well known that fistula patients
are illiterate, come from low socio-economic background. Usually they don’t
have their own means of financial income. Considering this issue HOL has
established a reintegration program for the treated fistula patients who have
no income to support themselves. Through this reintegration program selected
treated fistula patients enrolled in training program to produce soap. Production
of soap is chosen because it’s an activity that can be done with minimal to
average space area.
Hope of Light planned to
settle a training center in Assela Fistula Center for soap production financed by
Ethiopia Fund. This has given an opportunity to the patients to be trained while
their stay in at the Center during their pre- and post- operating period until they
are discharged.
Since the establishment of the
reintegration project we have trained 6 patients. These trainees were
able to make liquid and bar laundry soaps. During the training we realized that
our trainees needs support since most of our patients are illiterate and they
cannot write and read what is on the display of the digital scale therefore, we
ask them to bring one person who is close to them, has basic education and
willing to continue to work with them and be a partner. Then, the selected
partners are also included in the training program.
For those women who accomplish the
training successfully will be offered all kind of materials and chemicals that
are necessary for the soap production. This is important to initiate the women
to be engaged in the soap production after they returned back to their village.
The organization also provides support
for each of the trainees by establishing a production center in a place where
they live. As it is designed in the project 9 Square Meter plot were selected nearby
their house to build a single room where they can produce the soap.
So far we build 5
production centers for 5 trainees. The trainees will be able to start the
production soon. Hope of Light’s outreach coordinator and the trainers will
monitor and evaluate their progress and help them throughout their production.
Hope Of Light