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Hello World,
Today on Temmy Balogun’s Platform we are expressing our love and appreciation to the Nollywood superwoman Stephanie Okereke-Linus who began her life touching Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) eradication campaign 10 years ago.
Since the campaign started in 2008, Stephanie has been working tiredlessly to fulfill her outstanding mission to help women suffering from the VVF disease through her foundation ‘Extended Hands Foundation’.
Fistula is a hole between the vagina and usual lying the bladders which leads to continuous leakage of urine from the bladder into the vagina and urinary incontinence.
In September 2012,Stephanie shot her movie titled ‘Dry’ which she focus on VVF, a very common disease among Northern women in Nigeria.
When asked about the movie she said “This is a cause I am very passionate about. I have been to the North and to other parts of the country, and I have seen first-hand how this health issue defies normal living for girls and women of different ages.
“I have decided to share their stories through ‘Dry’. It journeys into the heart-wrenching details of a culture not too many films dare to explore.
The issue might seem controversial, but if it will set one girl free and open the minds of the people, and also instruct different bodies and individuals to take action, then the movie would have served its purpose.”
Due to her strong zeal,she received support from NEPCO and NNPC 5 years after starting her campaign on the disease,she made this known via her Instagram account on the 4th of December,2013.
In October 2015, Stephanie Okereke’s Extended Hands Foundation, sponsored treatment of 50 women living with Vesico-Vaginal Fistula in Kebbi.
Also in conjunction with Daimond Bank, her foundation treated 15 wowen with VVF free at the Kwara Specialist Hospital in Ilorin,Nigeria.
Moving forward to March 2017, Stephanie’s foundation completed the successful repair of 35 Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).With the co-operation of the Kebbi State Government, the treatment took place in the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development VVF Center in Gesse, Birin-Kebbi.
With more support from individuals,Nigerian government non-governmental and government organisation, i believe her foundation will touch more lives than ever before!
