The human spirit

Sometimes all it takes is just one visit to a new place and your life changes for ever. Kimberley Sheedy encountered that very moment on her visit to Ethiopia years ago. To this day, she has been sharing the stories she captured on lens of some of the most impoverished women in that part of the world.
It was a world where Sheedy came across women who were suffering shame and social disintegration from preventable and treatable diseases. It was a part of the world with little or no prenatal care, where the risk of dying from pregnancy or childbirth is one in 16.
This is the world in which millions of Ethiopian women live, a world where childbirth injuries such as fistula are far too common. But then at the same place, Sheedy witnessed the best of hope and human compassion at work in the form of Dr Catherine Hamlin with her Dr Hamlin’s Fistula Foundation.
Kimberly Sheedy, a successful Australian expatriate businesswoman in Doha and the CEO of Starfish Lane Kids nurseries, now tells the stories of women she met in Ethiopia and Dr Hamlin, who has dedicated her life to help these women with her Fistula hospital established half a century ago.
In one such story-telling session, Sheedy gave a moving presentation, My Ethiopian Journey, at the Warwick Doha to a group of women hosted by Qatar Expat Women. Speaking to the audience at the event, Australian ambassador Axel Wabenhorst highlighted the gravity of the subject of the presentation; the philanthropic work of Dr Catherine Hamlin and her beloved “Fistula Pilgrims.”
Speaking about her experiences Sheedy says she first read about the Hamlins, the two Australian doctors working in Ethiopia, the country that was in the news at that time for a terrible famine in the 80s. She started writing to Dr Hamlin and then went to meet them in Ethiopia.
“The first time I met them and to see the women they were helping and how devastating was the situation there for the women of Ethiopia changed my life,” Sheedy tells Community in a chat after her presentation.
“I also do photography and I love the Ethiopian woman’s face. I think it is the face of the most beautiful woman in the world with the most beautiful facial features. I was mesmerised by the photography aspect as well,” Sheedy elaborates on her motivations to travel to that part of Africa.
It started primarily out of her desire to see Ethiopia through her own eyes. As one person, it is very difficult to do anything, she says, but then when she had more funds and she could fund her trips, she went to Ethiopia many times.
Sheedy became passionate about helping the cause and has helped raise over US$22,000 for the Hamlin Fistula Foundation, midwife colleges and orphanages in Ethiopia. Kimberley has a great passion for volunteerism and service.
She and her children support two young women from Ethiopia — two girls Meaza and Mahalet — who have now become a part of Kimberley’s extended family. Kimberley works to support fellow Australian and noted physician, Dr Catherine Hamlin, and Dr Hamlin’s Fistula Foundation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“I met Mahalet, 14, about four years ago when I was there with my daughter. But I met Meaza about 14 years ago in a café there. And I think she is the one who changed it for me. When I met her it was an instant bond,” recalls Sheedy.
Coming from a rural Ethiopia to capital Addis Ababa in search of better life, Meaza always wanted to study. Sheedy started sending her $100 a month and that changed her life forever. Meaza, a mother of two now, has a degree in business and calls Sheedy her mother.
“I have taken my children to Ethiopia to show them that poverty has many faces and not to be scared of poverty. Poverty is really scary and people just want to kind of turn their back. But I am not scared of poverty. It has many faces. So taking my children there to let them see it was fundamental,” says Sheedy.
She says she recently got married again in Kenya, where her two Ethiopian daughters came over to attend the marriage and it was a great feeling to have her ‘entire family’ together. Dr Hamlin, who Sheedy considers her mentor in life, started it for her.
She went on to help women and make differences in their lives. “I never wanted to be like her because I knew it was completely out of my range on what to do,” says Sheedy. She feels everyone can help others in need by even doing very little like giving $100 a month to someone in need.
Many of the more than 90 women, who attended Sheedy’s presentation, say they were inspired by the work of Dr Hamlin and Sheedy and moved by the stories of women in Ethiopia.      
“We will never face those kinds of trials in our lives, living in a developed first world country. It takes a heroine to hold the light up and reveal what was not known. Most of us had never heard of a Fistula before Dr Hamlin’s work,” says Soul Robertson, from South Africa.
“Now, we can only imagine their pain and suffering and now we can actually do something about it. I am going to help pay for a fistula repair operation,” she adds.
A Doha-based artist Pip Hoy says “Kimberley’s presentation about Dr Hamlin’s Fistula Foundation was equal parts informative and moving.  Everything about this story speaks of strong and inspirational women.” Tracey Kohinga thanked Sheedy for a “truly inspiring and heart felt presentation.”
“I have four beautiful daughters and I would never want them to suffer the same way as these gorgeous Ethiopian women. We can all do more and be more. Thank you for inspiring me and all the women there today,” says Kohinga at the conclusion of the presentation.
Carol Bentley, a US expatriate, says legacy is a huge part of life. “Dr Hamlin’s legacy is those beautiful Ethiopian girls. Kimberley is someone who is paying it forward and will help continue that legacy,” she observes.
Vicky Cumming, a South African expatriate, after attending the presentation felt gratitude towards the presenter for “opening her eyes to the more important things in life.” She says she had never heard of fistula before. “Thanks to presentations like these that pull us together and help fight the many battles that so many innocent people face in this world.  Bravo, Kimberley!” says Cumming.
“Seeing the smiles on the faces of those helped by the kindness of people who care was wonderful. It was very inspiring to say the least,” says Natascha Asselstine, an Australian expatriate, coming out of the presentation by Sheedy.
“I was extremely moved. Most of us were in tears in there. It was moving to actually hear the women’s stories and to know about the work that Dr Hamlin is doing,” says Gabrielle Turner, a British expatriate.