Her mother died before her eyes when she was only 12 years due to lack of medical facilities. She determined to be a medical doctor so that other poor women like her mother may not die of shortage of doctors or medical facilities. Her primary education was in backward village school but she was extra ordinary shinining student. She got scholarship for her higher education in medical discipline in gynecological research She went to Kaif (Ukrain) where there was only girl among 91 students during the ist decade of 1960. After completing her study at Kaif, Hawa Abdi came back to her country , the Somalia. She worked in different hospital and also got degree in law. Meanwhile, she got married and became the mother of 3 children. She left job during 1983, and established a small clinic in a room at her family farm. She started treating the women of the area freely. As ther had been no rush of patients due to less population of the area she began to teach the children of the area. She also spent her leisure time in teaching the women the principles of health and hygiene. Meanwhile, Somalia fell prey to civil war. Dr Hawa started settling the displaced women and children on her farm house in huts made of dried graasses tree leaves. Civil war spread in a vast area and many affecteees including orphan children, widowed women along with men came to her farm. She had a big heart and she embraced all the people coming to her farm. She purchased adjescent lands and started growing vegebles on the land that was sent to city for sale and this was the source of income for refugees. With the passage of time, the hospital comprising of one room turned into 400 bed hospital in the form of " Dr Hawa Abdi Hospital" that consisted now three operation theaters and a staff of 6 doctors along with 43 nurses, however, treatment remain free for all.
( To Be Continued) .
( To Be Continued) .
No comments:
Post a Comment