It is an honor to introduce Asnaku, who comes from the Merabita kebele (village) in Ethiopia. Ask her how old she is, and she will say she does not know. I wish we all could have such a peaceful mindset.

Asnaku is a lovely woman, graceful and poised, and is an exceptional handcraft artist. She spends a great part of her day selecting colors and embroidering beautiful patterns onto fine cloth table runners that are sold at the Hamlin Fistula Hospital. One hundred percent of the proceeds of these sales return back to her. I talked with her instructor and she enthusiastically relays that Asnaku’s handiwork is some of the best she has ever seen.

When women find their way to the Hamlin Fistula Hospital, they are in for a great surprise. Not only will they be tenderly cared for from a physical standpoint, they will also find a community that rallies around who they inherently are. No longer are they labeled as “woman with fistula”; they become artist, educated woman, and caregivers themselves. Some of the patients even secure work at the hospital as all nurses aides are former patients who have learned much about healthcare during their stay.

Asnaku has developed many leadership capabilities in addition to her stunning artistic skills. Her quiet and confident demeanor have enabled her to make many friends here. She is a strong and assured woman. I could see her as a shop owner, a doctor, a CEO.

Today, she focuses on making the best stitches as she can: even, precise, and secured so they will not unravel with use. As she moves through physical therapy sessions and meals and classroom work, she is never without her stitchery.

Focused, steady and kind, she is the bastion of an empowered woman.