Inside the Fistula Hospital

Even though Dr. Hamlin and her team have done remarkable work, there are still some girls whose injuries are so severe they can't be cured or returned to their villages. For those who can't be healed, Dr. Hamlin has created a little piece of heaven on earth called Joy Village.

Joy Village is a small community filled with gorgeous flowers and trees, which create a sense of serenity and healing. Thirty-one women live here, free of ridicule and rejection. Although surgery didn't cure them, they are now fitted with colostomy bags to collect their bodily waste.

Even though these women walk around with a permanent reminder of their pasts, Joy Village has empowered them, restored their self-worth and given them back their lives. In a country where most people, especially the women, are impoverished and uneducated, these women attend school and earn wages for themselves. They work on the farm, maintain the grounds and sell embroidery and crafts.

With the funds donated in part by Oprah Show viewers, Joy Village is now building a brand new facility with classrooms, examination rooms, housing for residents who travel to the hospital for treatment and a small apartment for the on-call doctors.