DHAFoundation  

@DHAFoundation  

DHAFoundation  

www.dhaf.org  Somalia  |  USA  |  Kenya  

©  2014,  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.    

 14  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation    

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Keeping  Hope  Alive  

Program  Booklet  

Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation  –  Keeping  Hope  Alive  

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 Dear  Supporter,    

 This  year  marks  a  brand  new  year  for  Somalia,  with  peace  finally  on  the  horizon  with  a  new  government  

after  more  than  two  decades  of  conflict.  It  had  been  a  difficult  23  years  the  people  of  Somalia  faced,  and  the  consequences  are  still  all  around  us.  But  I  am  hopeful,  as  we  can  now  begin  on  the  path  to  recovery.  

 I  still  remember  as  a  young  girl,  I  watched  my  mother,  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi,  dedicate  herself  relentlessly  to  

helping  those  in  need,  no  matter  the  challenges  and  threats  she  faced.  She  began  working  as  Somalia’s  first  female  gynaecologist  in  1983  to  service  the  rural  population  in  the  Lower  Shabelle  and  surrounding  area,  who  had  no  access  to  modern  healthcare  whatsoever.  When  the  war  broke  out  in  the  1990s,  she  welcomed  anyone  who  arrived  on  her  land  seeking  refuge,  providing  free  healthcare,  education,  shelter,  food  and  clean  water.    

 My  sister,  Dr.  Amina  Mohamed,  and  I  helped  out  whichever  way  we  can-­‐  distributing  food  packages,  

registering  patients,  who  arrived  more  than  400  a  day  at  times,  and  consoling  our  fellow  sisters  and  brothers  of  Somalia  through  this  difficult  time.  We  both  admired  our  mother  and  followed  in  her  footsteps  to  become  trained  in  the  medical  profession.  

 Today,  we  are  continuing  our  work  in  Somalia  under  the  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation.  Now  I  perceive  

something  different  in  the  air,  a  certain  vibrancy  of  renewed  energy  and  hope.  With  this,  we  are  moving  from  operating  under  constant  emergency  circumstances  to  promoting  long-­‐term  development  and  rebuilding  livelihoods.    

 With  your  support,  we  can  propel  Somalia  to  stand  fully  on  its  own  feet.  Through  our  work  with  the  

internally  displaced,  and  an  emphasis  on  empowering  women,  we  can  engage  Somalia  in  inclusive  national  development.  Please  join  us  in  our  endeavor  to  revitalize  the  beauty  of  Somalia  and  create  a  bright  future  for  generations  to  come.    

 Sincerely  yours,  

   

Dr.  Deqo  Aden  Mohamed  Chief  Executive  Officer  

A  Message  from  the  CEO  

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               The  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Hospital  sits  at  the  heart  of  the  Hawa  Abdi  Village.  Since  1983,  Somalis  from  the  community  and  beyond  have  been  drawn  to  the  area  by  Dr  Hawa’s  willingness  to  give  free  and  equal  refuge  and  medical  care  to  the  vulnerable  and  the  displaced.    

The  medical  staff  at  the  400-­‐bed  hospital  provides  free  medical  care  for  both  the  population  of  the  camp,  and  the  entire  Lower  Shabelle  region,  serving  as  the  only  source  of  free  medical  care  in  a  60-­‐km  radius.  Every  month,  we  treat  an  average  of  600  –  1000  patients.    

Ongoing  Services  •   Pediatric  Care,  including  Ambulatory,  inpatient  pediatric  ward,  Intensive  Therapeutic  

Feeding  Centres  (inpatient  &  outpatient)  •   Maternal,  Obstetrics  &  Gynecological  Care,  with  caesarian  surgical  capacity  and  

ultrasound  examination  •   Inpatient  and  Outpatient  Care  •   Emergency  Care    •   Surgical  Services,  with  two  operating  theatres  •   Isolation  Ward  •   Cholera  Treatment  Centre  (CTC),  for  seasonal  outbreaks  of  cholera  •   Diagnostic  Centre,  including  blood  screen  grouping,  urine  analysis,  paracheck  for  

malaria,  and  a  haematology  machine  •   Pharmacy      Training  •   The  Medical  Professional  Training  Workshop  (MPTW)  takes  place  annually  to  serve  

as  an  expert  platform  for  Continued  Medical  Education  and  experience  sharing  between  Somali  medical  professionals.      

 Proposed  Projects  •   The  Nursing  Training  Program,  in  conjunction  with  the  St.  Louis  University  (SLU),  is  an  

innovative  initiative  connecting  nursing  students  in  Somalia  to  professors  at  SLU  for  university-­‐level  education  over  the  internet.  The  distance-­‐learning  program  will  equip  Somali  students  with  nursing  fundamentals  and  English  skills.  Upon  completion  of  the  program,  students  will  receive  an  internationally  recognized  certificate  from  SLU.    

 

Goals  for  

2014  •   Procure  adequate  funding  to  

pay  for  the  salary  of  our  dedicated  medical  team  

•   Secure  a  steady  supply  of  medicine  to  treat  our  patients  

•   Initiate  a  hospital  feeding  program  for  our  inpatient  department    

•   Purchase  essential  medical  equipment,  such  as  X-­‐ray  and  3D  ultrasound  machine  

•   Strengthen  hospital  statistics  collection  through  training  our  staffers  on  health  statistics  

•   Seek  sponsorship  to  initiate  the  Nursing  Training  Program  

 

HEALTHCARE  The  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  General  Hospital  

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 DHA    

 DHAF  is  committed  to  creating  a  sanitized  and  safe  community  in  our  Village  through  our  WASH  program.  Proper  sanitation  is  linked  intrinsically  to  the  well-­‐being  of  all  other  programs,  and  upholding  hygienic  practices  is  integral  to  saving  lives  and  maintaining  a  level  of  dignity  amongst  families.    The  Hawa  Abdi  Village  is  home  to  thousands  of  Somalis  who  have  escaped  form  the  pressures  of  war  and  famine.  In  any  situation  where  many  families  are  forced  to  live  in  close  proximity  to  one  another  with  no  access  to  modern  sanitization  equipment,  problems  of  faeco-­‐oral  diseases  and  the  breeding  of  flies  and  mosquitos  can  arise.  

WASH  DHAF  operates  a  bore  well  that  servers  as  the  sole  source  of  free  drinking  water  within  a  30-­‐km  radius.  This  well  pumps  potable  water  from  an  underground  source,  which  is  purified  using  chlorine  tablets  and  stored  in  covered  containers  before  being  distributed  to  the  population  for  both  drinking  and  washing  purposes.  DHAF’s  provision  of  clean  water  reduces  the  risk  of  the  spread  of  water-­‐borne  diseases.  

DHAF  strongly  encourages  and  facilitates  its  Villagers  to  carefully  wash  their  hands  with  soap  before  and  after  defecation,  as  well  as  before  food  preparation.  Likewise,  the  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Hospital  is  equipped  with  hand-­‐washing  stations  and  our  cleaners  are  tasked  with  the  maintenance  of  a  sterile  environment.    

Community  Health  Workers  Currently,  our  Community  Health  Workers  (CHWs)  carry  out  household  visits  once  a  week  to  inform  families  about  best  health  practices,  ensure  healthcare  follow-­‐ups,  and  distribute  materials,  such  as  soap,  to  improve  health  statuses  in  the  Village.    

Proposed  Projects  •   The  Community  Health  Workers  Training  Program  will  expand  our  current  initiatives,  

conducting  a  6-­‐month  CHW  training  program  to  enhance  rural  health  outreach.  The  program  will  engage  our  recruits  in  both  education  and  employment,  and  expand  our  current  CHW  outreach  activities  to  contribute  towards  a  healthier  society.    

•   Expansion  of  the  WASH  Department  aims  to  improve  our  Village-­‐wide  water  filtration  system,  install  individual  home-­‐based  water  filtration  systems,  construct  permanent  washrooms,  build  an  incinerator,  and  recruit  full-­‐time  a  electrician  and  technician  to  maintain  energy  supplies.      

Goals  for  

2014  •   Train  and  employ  more  CHWs  in  

order  to  increase  the  frequency  of  CHWs  household  visits  and  ensure  adequate  follow-­‐up  

•   Build  an  incinerator  to  ensure  best  practices  in  the  disposal  of  biological  wastes  

•   Build  new  latrines  to  replace  damaged  latrines  during  the  conflict  last  year  

•   Increase  the  number  of  permanent  latrines  available  at  the  Waqaf-­‐Dhiblawe  School  

•   Introduce  the  use  of  Moringa  oleifera  roots  as  a  scientifically-­‐proven  organic  means  to  purify  water  at  the  household  level  

 

 WASH  &  CHW  Water,  Sanitation,  Hygiene  &  Community  Health  Workers  

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 The  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation  is  striving  to  provide  our  children  and  women  with  the  new  skills  and  new  opportunities  that  will  ensure  a  brighter  future  inside  Somalia.  By  providing  resources  to  our  teachers  on  the  ground,  DHAF  hopes  to  guide  our  students  out  of  the  cycle  of  violence,  so  that  they  may  start  rebuilding  the  Somali  society.    Our  Educational  department  encompasses  both  the  Waqaf-­‐Dhiblawe  Primary  School  and  a  Women’s  Education  Centre  (WEC).      

Waqaf-­‐Dhiblawe  Primary  School  (WD  School)  The  Waqaf-­‐Dhiblawe  Primary  School  teaches  Somali,  Arabic,  English,  Science,  Math,  IRE,  Art,  and  Social  Studies  to  over  300  students  from  grades  1  –  5,  with  a  1:1  ratio  of  girls  to  boys.  Our  library  opened  in  2013,  introducing  a  culture  of  reading  in  Somalia.    

Our  Food  for  Hope  feeding  program  serves  students  nutritious  breakfast  and  lunch,  improving  nutritional  statuses  and  cognitive  development  in  the  community.    

Women’s  Education  Centre  (WEC)  The  WEC  works  with  Somali  women  to  equip  them  with  life  skills  (sewing,  nutritious  cooking,  basketry),  literacy  skills,  and  education  on  complications  associated  with  Female  Genital  Mutilation  (FGM).    

The  WEC  also  works  in  conjunction  with  other  programs  in  the  Village.  For  example,  our  students  have  been  sewing  uniforms  for  our  primary  school  students,  which  has  in  fact  worked  to  incentivize  more  parents  to  send  their  children  to  school.    

Last  year,  we  launched  the  pilot  Entrepreneurship  Program,  supported  by  Association  Suisse  Hawa  Abdi.  This  initiative  aims  to  provide  income-­‐generating  opportunities  and  empower  women  in  our  village.  We  are  training  students  to  engage  in  small-­‐scale  production  of  soap  for  sale  in  the  local  market  and  promote  sanitary  practices  in  the  community.  

Daycare  Centre  Established  with  the  support  of  Association  Suisse  Hawa  Abdi  in  2013,  the  daycare  serves  as  a  safe  space  for  children  up  to  the  age  of  5  for  early  childhood  learning.  It  also  gives  mothers  an  opportunity  to  use  this  time  to  engage  in  adult  learning  and  livelihood  initiatives.  Older  siblings  can  also  attend  primary  school  as  their  younger  siblings  can  be  taken  care  of.  

   

Goals  for  

2014  •   Build  a  sports  playing  field    

and  establish  sports  tournaments  

•   Train  our  teachers  in  curriculum  development,  English,  and  early  childhood  education  

•   Initiate  a  Co-­‐op  program  to  apprentice  students  to  local  electricians,  nurses  and  other  professionals  in  the  village  

•   Expand  the  Entrepreneurship  Program  at  the  WEC    

•   Initiative  planning  for  construction  of  a  high  school    

 

    EDUCATION  Building  the  next  generation  

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We  are  building  a  reliable  farming  system  with  low-­‐cost  and  low-­‐tech  biotechnological  interventions.  They  aim  to  achieve  self-­‐sufficiency  and  independency  from  aid,  as  well  as  serve  as  a  model  for  agricultural  sustainability  for  the  entire  country.    

Twenty  years  of  food  aid  in  southern  Somalia  have  left  farmers  bankrupt  and  the  country  aid  dependent.  Over  the  next  thirty  years,  climate  change  will  become  the  biggest  challenge  facing  the  Horn  of  Africa,  threatening  the  lives  of  hundreds  and  thousands  of  Somalis.  The  only  solution  to  Somalia’s  food  security  crisis  is  to  develop  local  agriculture,  and  this  food  must  be  grown  intelligently  and  efficiently  to  enhance  resiliency.      

Cultivating  our  Farmland  Our  6-­‐hectare  plant  nursery  project  was  initiated  in  2013,  employing  organic  smart-­‐farming  techniques  to  incorporate  a  diversity  of  plants  such  as  bananas,  lemon,  papaya,  sesame,  sorghum,  and  local  legumes.  After  a  year  of  cultivation,  the  farm  is  now  fully  sustainable.    

Another  14-­‐hectare  of  land  is  engaged  in  a  farming  co-­‐op  system,  whereby  1  hectare  of  farmland  is  allocated  to  one  family  each.  Today,  fourteen  families  are  empowered  with  access  and  ownership  to  land.  One-­‐third  of  their  harvests  are  sold  for  profit,  one-­‐third  for  sustenance,  and  one-­‐third  to  be  contributed  back  to  maintain  the  co-­‐op  system  and  infrastructure.    

Moringa  oleifera,  the  “Miracle”  Tree  The  Moringa  tree  is  drought-­‐resistant,  highly  nutritious,  and  thrives  in  the  Somali  climate.  In  2013,  DHAF  planted  over  a  hundred  Moringa  trees  to  enhance  food  security  and  resiliency,  and  the  regional  environment.  In  the  near  future,  we  look  to  serve  as  the  point  of  dissemination  for  Moringa  products  and  knowledge  in  the  whole  of  Somalia.      

Proposed  Projects    

• The  Hope  Village  is  a  concept  jointly  developed  with  the  Green  Belt  Movement  (GBM)  to  build  a  sustainable  and  environmentally  conscious  village  on  Dr.  Abdi’s  farmland  for  internally  displaced  families.  The  project  will  encompass  a  farming  co-­‐op  system,  clean  energy  technology,  environmental  education  &  rehabilitation,  innovative  housing  using  recyclable  materials,  and  community-­‐based  healthcare  and  education.    

   

 AGRICULTURE  Small  scale  smart  farming  

Goals  for  

2014  •   Plant  1,000  Moringa  oleifera  

trees  

•   Drill  a  borewell  and  reconstruct  the  canal  in  order  to  maximize  the  productivity  of  the  farmland  

•   Begin  production  of  commercial  agricultural  products,  such  as  banana  sand  sunflowers  

•   Initiate  a  community-­‐wide  tree-­‐planting  project,  emphasizing  the  involvement  of  children,  youth,  and  women  

•   Find  supporters  to  initiate  the  Hope  Village  project  

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 We  believe  to  achieve  long-­‐lasting  peace,  we  need  to  start  with  rebuilding  sustainable  livelihoods  through  providing  income-­‐generating  opportunities.  Our  emphasis  on  creating  entrepreneurship,  especially  amongst  women,  the  people  of  our  Village  will  be  empowered  to  stand  up  on  their  own  feet.    Our  Entrepreneurship  Program  at  the  Women’s  Education  Centre  and  proposed  projects  target  displaced  families  and  women,  giving  them  the  resources  and  skills  needed  to  take  back  control  of  their  own  lives.      

Ongoing  Projects    

•          The  Entrepreneurship  Program  at  was  launched  last  year  at  the  Women’s  Education  Centre  to  empower  our  students  to  start  their  own  income-­‐generating  initiatives.  The  pilot  program  now  engages  in  small-­‐scale  production  of  soap,  following  a  Training  of  Trainers  (TOT)  method.  Through  equipping  our  students  with  the  skills  to  produce  their  own  market  products,  they  can  serve  as  leaders  in  the  community  to  continue  production  and  lead  as  examples.    

•          In  conjunction  with  Project  Peanut  Butter,  DHAF  is  establishing  local  production  of  Ready-­‐to-­‐Eat  Therapeutic  Food  (RUTF)  at  our  Hospital.  Presently,  treatment  of  malnourished  children  depends  on  imports.  With  the  initiation  of  RUTF  production  beginning  end  of  October,  we  can  build  self-­‐sustainability  at  our  Village.  We  hope  to  expand  operations  after  a  year  to  increase  production  and  begin  planting  peanuts  (which  has  a  strong  source  of  protein)  to  further  strengthen  resiliency  and  food  security  in  the  region.      

Proposed  Projects  

•          Moringa  Organic  Market  is  modeled  after  the  modern  farmer’s  market  to  serve  as  an  agricultural  business  hub  for  small  farmers  and  entrepreneurs.  The  Market  will  provide  a  business  space  for  50  entrepreneurs  to  capture  the  market  demand  of  residents  from  Mogadishu  commuting  to  and  from  Afgooye  town,  and  the  diaspora  community.  The  open-­‐air  concept,  with  an  emphasis  on  local,  organic,  and  fresh  produce  will  be  coupled  with  the  idea  of  social  impact,  attracting  a  youthful  and  social-­‐oriented  audience.    

•          Moringa  Production  will  create  Moringa-­‐based  products  to  be  sold  at  our  Organic  Market  and  throughout  Somalia.  This  will  include  raising  awareness  on  the  nutritional  benefits  of  Moringa  through  promoting  the  use  of  its  leaves  in  cooking  in  cooking  demonstrations,  and  hosting  open  cooking  classes  at  the  Women’s  Education  Centre  to  the  community.    

•          Neroli  Oil  Project  is  an  innovative  project  utilizing  existing  lemon  trees  to  distil  essential  neroli  oil  for  sale  on  the  market.  The  essential  oil  can  be  coupled  with  the  soap-­‐making  project  in  order  to  turn  commodities  into  value-­‐added  products.    

Goals  for  

2014  •   Procure  funding  to  construct  the  

Moringa  Organic  Market  and  jumpstart  the  Neroli  Oil  Project  

•   Increase  enrolment  at  the  WEC’s  Entreprenurship  Program  

•   Uncover  innovative  ways  to  create  value-­‐added  products  for  sale  

•   Expand  our  Entrepreneurship  department  

 

 ENTREPRENEURSHIP  Creating  income-­‐generating  opportunities  

We  sincerely  thank  our  donors  and  partners  for  making  our  programs  possible.                                      Contact  us  at:  contact@dhaf.org      Support  our  work  at:  www.dhaf.org/donate/    For  more  information,  visit:    Website:  www.dhaf.org  Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DHAFoundation  Twitter:  @DHAFoundation    ©  2014,  Dr.  Hawa  Abdi  Foundation,  Inc.  All  rights  reserved.