She Saw a Ray of Light in the Dark: Julekha’s New Life After Fistula Treatment

Sherpur, Bangladesh — It was an evening like any other as 26-year-old Julekha stood beside the clay stove cooking rice for her family, a simple act that, only a few months earlier, had felt impossible.

When her eldest child was six years old, Julekha and her family were overjoyed to learn she was pregnant again. After a safe delivery during her first pregnancy, she believed her second childbirth would also go smoothly. With her husband struggling to support the family financially, Julekha decided to give birth at home to save money.

“I had to pay a heavy price for one mistake,” she said quietly.

Confident that there would be no complications, she chose to deliver at home with the help of a traditional birth attendant. But after enduring obstructed labour for several days, Julekha gave birth under dangerous conditions that would change her life forever.

About 20 days later, she began leaking urine and stool continuously. She did not understand what was happening to her. She had developed obstetric fistula, a serious childbirth injury caused by prolonged and obstructed labour, often when timely emergency obstetric care is unavailable. 

What followed was one of the darkest periods of Juleikha’s life. The constant leaking and odor left Julekha feeling ashamed and isolated. She struggled to care for her newborn and perform daily household tasks. People around her told her she would not survive and that her husband would eventually remarry.

“I felt completely broken,” she recalled.

At a time when her family was already struggling financially, the condition pushed her deeper into despair.
“I am a simple man,” said her husband, Ukil Mia, 42, while taking a break from building a new house beside their old home. “I did not understand why this was happening to my wife. She has always been my greatest support. I was worried about her health, our children, and our future.”

“Just when our family felt complete and I was building our new home, this tragedy struck,” he added. 

“Fortunately, we found Sharmina Apa, who guided us to the right treatment. That is when we finally found hope again. Today, I am happy that our family is together.”

That hope came through Sharmina, a community worker from the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), a partner organization supported by UNFPA. After meeting Julekha, Sharmina helped connect her to specialist services at Sherpur District Hospital. From there, she was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she underwent successful fistula surgery.

After a month of treatment and recovery, Julekha returned home with a new sense of dignity and hope. Today, she is healthy again and rebuilding her life. The support she received went beyond medical treatment. Through the project, Julekha also received assistance to help her regain financial independence. 

A goat provided through the programme has become a source of income and optimism for the future. She now plans to raise and sell goats to support her family and continue investing in her children’s education.

“Even if you feel healthy, no woman should take the risk of delivering at home,” Julekha said. “There is no alternative to a hospital for safe delivery. I do not want anyone else to suffer the way I did.”

Julekha and her husband have decided not to have more children and are now using family planning to focus on raising and educating their two children.

Through the support of Global Affairs Canada, UNFPA and its partners are helping transform the lives of women living with fistula by ensuring access to treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration support. The programme is helping survivors like Julekha return to their families and communities with renewed health, confidence, and dignity.