Barbara May Foundation

20/03/2026

What better way to celebrate International Day of Happiness than to restore a woman’s health, confidence and future.

Women suffering with fistula can live with deep shame and discomfort of incontinence, often ostracised from their friends, families and communities.

Most fistula injuries can only be healed with surgery.

We love seeing that slow return of joy and hope to a patient’s eyes, as the reality of healing sets in. Her dignity is restored; her hope is reignited.

Your support can bring a smile back.
https://barbaramayfoundation.com/her-dignity-fund

16/03/2026

How we know it’s been a busy day in the antenatal clinic?

Mothers who come in for check-ups are able to receive malaria prevention tablets and pregnancy nutrition support (e.g. iron/folate supplements). Small things we take for granted here in Australia can make a huge difference for a mother and her unborn baby from low-socio economic backgrounds in Africa.

Last year, thanks to our committed donors, we facilitated over 64,000 clinic visits across our partner hospitals in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Isn’t that incredible 🙌

12/03/2026

Meet Glory, a nursing and midwife student in Tanzania.

We caught up with her on the morning ward round and asked how her placement was going.

“I’m very happy to be getting a lot of experience.”

“What I like about Kivulini is seeing the good care and different range of services mothers are able to experience, and also seeing the good teamwork of the staff.”

Midwife training is at the core of what we do. Whether graduates end up with a full-time position at our partner hospitals or not, their deepened skillset and experiencing our model of care will have a greater effect in the wider healthcare community.

11/03/2026

Look who was in the paper on the weekend! What a lovely story and write up of our Ambassador and volunteer midwife, Kareena, about her passion for helping mothers in Africa to give birth safely.

A true inspiration 🥰

10/03/2026

The hospital grounds are peaceful, but there is a lot to do.

It’s quiet, but there’s a lot going on within the walls of this hospital AND within each woman’s heart.

It’s almost hard to believe that such an ordinary day is going to be the day a woman gets her life back.

Today, THIS very moment, your support is restoring dignity, hope and agency through fistula surgeries. Thank you 🧡

07/03/2026

Happy International Women’s Day!
Today we reaffirm our vision of a world where women can face childbirth with dignity and confidence.

Your support means the world to women like
🧡 Rebecca, who was able to receive emergency care for the birth of her baby girl.
🧡 Zamda, whose dignity was restored through fistula surgery.
🧡 Gracey, who is very excited for her first child and knows she and her baby will be safe and cared for.
Your support can help change the future for a woman in Africa. Find out more: https://barbaramayfoundation.com/

04/03/2026

What is a fistula? Do women in Australia get them?

Hear the answer to these questions through a story of a woman named Ngolo, who went into labour in her home in a rural village in Tanzania. Dr Andrew, our Medical Director, answers these questions in a conversation with John Anderson.

In this interview excerpt, Dr. Andrew Browning recounts the powerful story of Ngolo: a woman who underwent a long and painful birth that left her ostracised ...

28/02/2026

Have you read Dr Andrew’s story?

If so, who would you recommend this book for?

Let us know what you liked about ‘A Doctor in Africa’ in the comments below 👇

25/02/2026

Maternal health outcomes improve when organisations commit to decades, not just projects.

In a remote region of Uganda, hope is coming. This hospital will soon support 2,000 safe births every year 🙌

Make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter to receive updates on the progress and impact. https://barbaramayfoundation.com/


*This maternity hospital is a collaboration between Sonic Healthcare Foundation, Te-Kworo Foundation and Barbara May Foundation.

20/02/2026

This is what progress looks like.

Each day of construction brings us closer to a hospital where women can receive safe, skilled care – preventing birth injuries and saving lives.

It might not look like much yet, but this is a site of hope and healing for generations to come 🧡

18/02/2026

We believe every woman should be able to face childbirth with dignity and confidence.

And we’ve put that belief into action through 🧡fistula repair 🧡maternity hospitals 🧡equipping and upskilling local doctors and midwives.

Follow our account to see what this work looks like in action!

16/02/2026

Every time we see a fistula patient treated, we are reminded of the urgency for fistula prevention too.

Sanjana* lived with the pain and discomfort of leaking urine for 30 years, after trying to fix a pr*****ed uterus on her own.

Your regular giving makes it possible for us to find and treat women who hide in shame, in remote regions where access to healthcare is limited. But, just as important, it also enables more women to have access to safe maternal healthcare in the first place.

Find out more today: https://barbaramayfoundation.com/ways-to-donate/regular-giving/

*Sanjana’s name is changed to protect her privacy.