Executive Director & Co-FounderHealing Hands of Joy
Allison Shigo received an Emmy Award for her work on "A Walk to Beautiful" a documentary following the lives of women suffering from obstetric fistula in Ethiopia. In 2009, Allison co-founded Healing Hands of Joy, a non-profit working in Ethiopia to empower former fistula patients and eliminate fistula. She developed the innovative Safe Motherhood Ambassador Training program to provide reintegration and rehabilitation services to fistula survivors. To date, over 1,200 fistula survivors have graduated as Safe Motherhood Ambassadors. Healing Hands of Joy is a member of the Fistula Task Force and co-leading the strategic design in the Campaign to Eliminate Fistula in Ethiopia by 2020. In partnership with USAID, World Vision, EthiopiAid and others they have expanded nationwide in Ethiopia. She is a graduate of New York University and Phillips Exeter Academy.
Eastern and Southern Africa