It is more than 50 years since Dr Catherine Hamlin AC and her late husband, Dr Reg Hamlin OBE, arrived in Ethiopia and started their pioneering work helping the destitute women who suffer from obstetric fistula.

The mission of the Hamlins and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, which they founded, has been far ahead of its time in regard to women’s health in Africa.

Lighting a Candle is a new film which documents the breadth and scope of the Hospital’s treatment and preventative work. It depicts for the first time the Hospital’s regional outreach program, its midwifery prevention strategy and the skills training conducted at Desta Mender.

The audience sees the new hope restored to these women’s lives, the training of rural midwives and the inspiring holistic approach that is setting new benchmarks for women’s health issues in Africa.

The Fund is currently making arrangements for the distribution and screening of Lighting a Candle in Australia and further details will be posted on the website as arrangements are finalised.

Director: Steven Salgo
Producer: Dina Volaric
Director of Photography: Susan Lumsdon
Editor: Susan Lumsdon
Composer: David Roberts
Sound Recordists: Gavin Marsh and Kerrie Moore

Later in 2010 the Hospital will open its fifth regional centre in the town of Metu – in the remote far west province of Illubabor, where there is an enormous need. The Hospital hopes this centre will also be able to treat patients from Gambella, some of whom are refugees from the southern Sudan, who have fled during the long years of civil war in that country.

The staff who will work in this new centre are currently being trained at the Hospital’s main facility in Addis Ababa. The staff will comprise of two gynaecologists, two senior nurses, a health officer and 10 to 12 nursing aides.