Tag: Vesico Vaginal Fistula

NNPC/SNEPCo Partners With Extended Hands Foundation To Bring Free Medical Surgery To Women Suffering From Obstetric Fistula In Sokoto

The Extended Hands Foundation, a non-profit organisation that I formed some years ago, with sponsorship from NNPC/SNEPCo recently gave free medical surgeries to 25 women living with Fistula in Sokoto state. I’m so grateful to NNPC/SNEPCo and the team of Doctors and Nurses who made this pool effort possible.

Below is an official press release from the exercise.

A total of 25 women formerly living with Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) have received free repair surgeries, giving them a chance to live normal lives again. This life-changing event was carried out courtesy of a recent Extended Hands Foundation’s pool effort in Sokoto state sponsored by NNPC/SNEPCo.

Since its inception, the goal of the Extended Hands Foundation founded by star actress and producer Stephanie Linus, has been to restore hope and put smiles on the faces of women. For some years now, the foundation has been focused on helping women with Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) – a serious disability that can be experienced by women after childbirth – and giving them a chance at living normal lives through free repair surgeries.

With a generous sponsorship from NNPC/SNEPCo, the foundation completed the successful repair of 25 Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients at the Maryam Abacha Woman and Children (VVF Hospital) Sultan Bello Rd, Sokoto. All the repairs have been completed successfully and the women are recovering well.

The team of medical staff was led by Dr Sa’ad Idris, a seasoned VVF Surgeon and former Commissioner for Health in Zamfara State with over 20 years experience in the field. He was assisted by Dr Halima Bello a VVF surgeon, Chief Medical Director Dr Lawal Bello, Chief Matron Hamsai Abdullahi Wisso, and other doctors and nurses at the VVF Center.

As noted by the medical team, most of the women who were repaired had very complex cases of fistula resulting from botched surgeries carried out on them by inexperienced doctors. Some of the women had damaged wombs and tubes which caused a continuous involuntary discharge of urine into the vaginal vault. These women had been living with this condition for a varying number of years and finally got dry after the surgeries.

Against the backdrop of her Child Bride and Fistula advocacy movie, DRY, Stephanie Linus has been taking the message of restoration and hope to real women suffering from VVF. This pool effort goes a long way to show that DRY is more than just a movie, but a tool for touching the lives of women actually living with this condition.

PHOTOS:

November 28, 2018
Stephanie Linus Named World Health Innovation Summit Ambassador

Hey lovelies, I was recently named an ambassador for the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) where I would be dedicating my efforts to several causes such as promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.

Here is a press release announcing my appointment from the WHIS Website:

Ahead of International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2018, the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Linus as a WHIS Ambassador. She is a renowned Nigerian actress/filmmaker with an infectious personality. She has earned a reputation as Africa’s foremost actress, especially in Nollywood, the Nigerian film industry, which The New York Times reported to be the world’s third largest film industry.

“Ms Linus will dedicate her efforts to drive WHIS Goals in Nigeria and globally to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting our work to restore the balance to the environment, create equal opportunities, improve people’s health and well-being and support the most vulnerable. She will also focus on challenges girls’ face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights”, stated Foluke Michael, WHIS Nigeria Lead and CEO.

“We are delighted to welcome Ms. Stephanie Linus a global superstar to WHIS community. Her wealth of experience will support the WHIS platform to empower people and communities to improve their health and wellbeing” stated Gareth Presch, the Founder and CEO of WHIS.

She has starred in more than 100 films and has received several awards and nominations for her work as an actress. These include; the Afro-Hollywood Awards, Film Makers USA Award for Excellence, Reel Awards for Best Actress and recently, the prestigious AMVCA 2016 Award for Best Overall Movie in Africa and AMAA Awards Best Nigerian Film for her most recent work – DRY. This comes after her highly successful directorial debut in ‘Through The Glass’, which was the country’s first film to gross 10million naira in it’s first week and then carted away several awards.

In 2010, Stephanie was featured in the CNN documentary “50 years of Nigerian Independence.” That same year, she joined Hollywood A-list star Meryl Streep, for an exclusive stage reading of the play “Seven” at the Hudson Theatre in New York City as part of the Women in the World Conference, opened by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On a special invitation from the Queen of England, Stephanie was one of the distinguished guests who attended the 2015 Queens Young Leaders Award in Buckingham Palace where 60 young people across Commonwealth Nations were being honoured. As an avid supporter of the campaign, Stephanie met with England’s Queen Elizabeth II and other dignitaries at the Palace.

Beyond her work as an actress, she is passionate about women’s rights and strongly advocates against early child marriage. Through her foundation “Extended Hands”, she has done extensive work in the field of Vesico Vaginal Fistula. This has earned her the Miriam Makeba Award for Excellence in 2007, and the Beyond the Tears Humanitarian Award for her work against rape and VVF. Stephanie is also passionate about raising her voice against electoral violence. In March 2016, she spoke alongside other world leaders like the First Female U.S. Secretary Of State, Madeleine K Albright and the Canadian First Lady, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau at the #NotTheCost Conference in New York in her capacity as the the NDI’s Celebrity Ambassador for the ‘STOP Violence Against Women In Elections’ campaign. She was awarded Nigeria’s fourth highest award, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.

Stephanie’s resilience and determination have proven that she will always remain one step ahead and she is arguably one of the most respected actresses in Nollywood. Her desire to evolve is what inspires and drives her in all of her work as an actress and entrepreneur. With a string of local and international awards and a burgeoning portfolio of philanthropy and activism, Stephanie is irrepressible and at the top of her game and we are delighted to welcome her to the WHIS team.

October 12, 2018
Together We Can! NNPC/SNEPCo Sponsors Extended Hands Foundation For VVF Repairs Of 35 Women In Kebbi State

Hi SL Fabz!

The past week was a very busy one for me and members of the Extended Hands Foundation Team. I was in Kebbi state for a medical pool effort for the repair of 35 women who were victims of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF). This project which was sponsored by NNPC/SNEPCo and supported by the Kebbi State Government took place at the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development VVF Center in Gesse, Birin-Kebbi

I cannot express how grateful I am to be able to do something for these vulnerable women. Every time I see the extent of work that still needs to be done, I almost cringe with fear. However, I am always reminded of the fact that it’s not just about how I feel, it’s about taking conscious steps with the resources I have at my disposal. I may not be able to do everything, but I can do something significant that would set off a chain of events that could change the tides little by little.

Here are highlights of my visit to Kebbi state:

Our arrival in Kebbi State

Meeting the women + The surgeries

The project was supported by the Governor of Kebbi State Dr Abubakar Bagudu who also paid a visit to the VVF Center during our stay there

During our visit, we were interviewed by Kebbi TV and also visited the Government House

Visit to the women at the VVF Center with the First Lady of Kebbi state, Dr. Zainab Bagudu

I got handmade beads from one of the beneficiaries of the free VVF Surgery. She’s such a young and beautiful girl

The Ministry of Women Affairs Kebbi State supported VVF patients with donation of items to empower them economically

I must thank the amazing medical team led by Dr Sa’ad Idris and Dr Abubakar Bawa for their dedication and hardwork. They are the real heroes of this project

To round off the project, the Office of the First Lady of Kebbi State organised a closing ceremony

Bye Kebbi! Thank you for your warm hospitality. I had a lovely time

Many thanks to our sponsors NNPC/SNEPCo, the Kebbi State Government, Odio Mimonet and the entire Extended Hands Foundation team for making this project a reality. This is just the first step in reintegrating these women back into living healthy, normal and fulfilled lives.

March 21, 2017
50 Women with VVF Get Free Repair Surgeries from SNEPCo/NNPC & Extended Hands Foundation

A total of 50 women formerly suffering from the deeply embarrassing consequences of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) have been given a chance to live normal lives again. This tremendous change was brought about a recent Extended Hands Foundation’s Pool effort in Kebbi state sponsored by SNEPCo/NNPC.

Since its inception, the goal of the Extended Hands Foundation which I founded has been to restore hope and put smiles on the faces of women. The women had the repair surgeries done at no cost to them and their families.

The exercise which was carried out at the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development VVF Center in Gesse, Birin-Kebbi was a successful one as the women all had successful surgeries and were nursed back to health at the hospital. Before the surgeries, many of them had been shunned and separated from their families as a result of the embarrassing effects of the condition. Some of them lost their jobs, their husbands, and were forced to live in degrading conditions. Thanks to the successful surgeries, they are now back with their loved ones and are living their dreams.

Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) is a serious disability that can be experienced by women after childbirth. They are holes resulting from the breakdown in the tissue between the vaginal wall and the bladder or rectum caused by unrelieved obstructed labour. The consequence of such damage is a woman’s inability to control the flow of urine or faeces. It occurs more often in young women during childbirth, as their bodies are not yet mature for the process.

The project was headed by the Chief Surgeon – Dr Sa’ad Idris, a seasoned VVF Surgeon with over 20 years experience in the field. He was assisted by Dr Halima Bello, a Consultant and other doctors and nurses at the VVF Center.

Against the backdrop of DRY, we are taking the message of restoration and hope to real women suffering from VVF. This pool effort goes a long way to show that DRY is more than just a movie, but a tool for touching the lives of women actually living with this condition.

Here are some photos:

April 13, 2016
DRY Wins Programmers’ Award At The Pan African Film Festival, USA

‘DRY’ has again recorded another feat!!!

The movie has won the Programmers’ Award for Narrative Feature at the recently concluded Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, USA.

This award was given alongside other prestigious awards to film makers from across the world whose movies were screened at the largest and most prestigious black film festival in America.

It would be recalled that DRY has also won a host of local and international awards including the ‘Best Protagonist’ Award at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas, USA.

DRY is nominated in 9 categories at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards 2016 (AMVCA) which comes up this March, and has also won at the BON Awards and Zafaa Global Awards in categories such as: Movie with the best social message, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Child Actress and Best Producer.

Produced, directed, and starring my humble self, the film is an inspired true story that depicts the life of two young girls living as child brides in West Africa. The critically acclaimed movie focuses on child marriage and Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), journeying into the heart-wrenching details of a culture not too many films dare to explore.

DRY is currently available on online platforms such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Sony PlayStation and VUDU for viewers throughout the U.S.

February 23, 2016
DRY is now on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Sony PlayStation & VUDU for viewers in the U.S.

Hi everyone,

It’s a brand new week and I pray for brand new blessings for everyone of us!

This is great news for viewers in the U.S. DRY is now available on online platforms such as iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Sony PlayStation and VUDU.

We’ve recently signed a deal with ARC Entertainment for the film’s distribution in the U.S. and I’m so happy about this.

DRY focuses on child marriage and Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), journeying into the heart-wrenching details of a culture not too many films dare to explore.

The journey has resulted in awards and nominations, with a successful international film festival screening tours. DRY was screened and won “best Protagonist” award at the Bentonville Film Festival, USA; official selection at the St Louis International Film Festival, USA; the Montreal Black Film Festival, Canada; Africa in Motion Film Festival, Scotland; and a screening at the Lancaster University, UK. DRY also has been selected to screen at the Toronto Black Film Festival in early 2016.

So, if you are in the U.S., here are the platforms to watch DRY:
- Click here to watch DRY on AMAZON
- Click here to watch DRY on VUDU
- Click here to watch DRY on SONY PLAYSTATION
- Click here to watch DRY on ITUNES
- Click here to watch DRY on GOOGLE PLAY

January 11, 2016

Since its inception, the goal of the Extended Hands Foundation which I founded some years back has been to restore hope and put smiles on the faces of women. For some years now, the foundation has been focused on helping women with Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) – a serious disability that can be experienced by women after childbirth – and giving them a chance at living normal lives through free repair surgeries.

Recently through the support of Diamond Bank PLC, 15 women living with VVF received free repair surgeries at the Kwara Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State. The women all had successful surgeries and were nursed back to health at the hospital. Before the surgeries, many of them had been shunned and separated from their families as a result of the embarrassing effects of the condition. Some of them lost their jobs, their husbands, and were forced to live in degrading conditions. Thanks to the successful surgeries, they are now back with their loved ones and are living their dreams.

Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) is a serious disability that can be experienced by women after childbirth. They are holes resulting from the breakdown in the tissue between the vaginal wall and the bladder or rectum caused by unrelieved obstructed labour. The consequence of such damage is a woman’s inability to control the flow of urine or faeces. It occurs more often in young women during childbirth, as their bodies are not yet mature for the process.

The pool effort was lauded by the First Lady of Kwara State Mrs Omolewa Ahmed who received me and my team from Extended Hands Foundation as well as the Diamond Bank team at the State House in Ilorin. The state Commissioner for Health Alhaji Kayode Issah, also received the us during our stay in Ilorin.

I am thankful to everyone who has supported this exercise, especially Diamond Bank, and pledge that we would continue to do more to touch more women with VVF across the country.