When I stepped off the plane in Liberia this past January, the air pressed close — humid, heavy, and alive. I was there for a week, meeting with our partners to discuss how we could effectively reach more women affected by Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS).
Seeing the Women First
In places like Liberia, women are the custodians of their homes, they fetch water, cook, clean and care for their children. When they are affected by FGS, their entire household bears the impact.
If we don’t find them early, the parasites keep invading their bodies, leading to infertility, miscarriage, and an increased risk of contracting HIV and cervical cancer. But beyond physical pain, there’s stigma. There’s blame. There’s silence.
What I Saw in Liberia
During my visit, I saw women still going down to the streams — the same streams that carry the parasites causing schistosomiasis. I watched them wash clothes, bathe, and dry their things along the roadside.
When I asked local health workers why people kept returning to the streams, they said, “That’s why we can’t break transmission. They keep going back.” But I asked, “Have we asked why?”
Many communities don’t have safe alternatives. Wells may produce salty water that doesn’t taste right. There are cultural habits, practical needs, and simple survival at play. You can’t tell someone to stop using the only water they have. In that moment, I was reminded why FGS isn’t just a medical issue.
The Barriers That Keep Women Hidden
One of the biggest barriers these women face is misdiagnosis. Health workers often aren’t trained to recognize FGS. Because the symptoms resemble other infections, women are treated repeatedly without any results.
I’ve seen how this breaks homes. In many African cultures, a woman’s pride is tied to her ability to bear children. When FGS causes repeated miscarriages or infertility, the shame is unbearable, and the risk of domestic violence by their partners rises to an all-time high.
Even at higher levels of care, FGS isn’t taught in medical schools. Diagnostic tools like colposcopy exist but are invasive and rarely available. Without proper training and equipment, doctors can’t properly diagnose, leaving women unseen and untreated.
Building Care That Reaches Women
Primary health care is closest to the women who need it most, and the most affordable option. Strengthening these systems means training clinicians to recognize FGS, providing diagnostic tools, and ensuring access to medicines like praziquantel (PZQ).
Right now, school‑aged children receive treatment for schistosomiasis, but women outside the school system often do not. That gap must close. We also need better water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, because without safe water, prevention remains out of reach.
Breaking Barriers and Expanding Hope
Partnering alongside the Liberian Ministry of Health and Unlimit Health, we’ve begun phase 1 of our work in Liberia focused on operational research, expanding beyond two pilot counties to four highly endemic ones, and eventually across all 13. Through our program, Pathways to Equity, we’re learning where FGS is most widespread, which communities are most affected, and what barriers stand in the way. This next phase is about breaking the barriers that keep women unseen — moving from design to deeper implementation so care can truly reach them.
With your help, communities gain awareness, women are embraced rather than shamed, and mental health improves as livelihoods are renewed.
To every person supporting this work, I say: “Thank you. You are making a difference in the lives of teenage girls and women who are finally getting the care they need. Your support means they are seen, understood, and treated with dignity.”
What Gives Me Hope
What gives me hope is seeing trust rebuilt in the health system. When women receive proper treatment, they begin to believe in care again. Instead of hiding under the weight of stigma, they seek help.
As a woman from sub‑Saharan Africa, I know what it means to be condemned for something you didn’t cause. To be told you’re infertile, to carry the shame of miscarriage, to feel unseen. Being part of finding HER means giving women safety, dignity, and the assurance that they will be seen, understood, and treated with compassion.
Learn more about the work we are doing to address FGS in Liberia, in partnership with the Liberian Ministry of Health and Unlimit Health.
