Women Rising Above and Beyond: Dr. Hawa Abdi

By Jennifer Wardell

Have you ever thought about what happens to medical care during wars?  In poor countries how will people get the medical care they need?  When civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991 and thousands were in need of medical care one very brave and smart woman stood up to help during this crisis.  This woman is Dr. Hawa Abdi.

Dr. Abdi was one of the first gynecologists in Somalia, opening her clinic in 1983.  Her clinic was small, but she helped out many women in the area by providing medical care to them and reducing the risk of pregnancy complications. This was already a big accomplishment because women in Somalia do not have many rights, but when civil war broke out she would go on to accomplish so much more.

Dr. Abdi helped out the entire community with her presence reaching far more women and larger areas than it had before.  She not only built a hospital to treat all of these women and other people in need, but also opened a refugee camp and a school, all of which are provided for free to people who need it.  Now she was not only acting as a gynecologist, but also a primary doctor and even a surgeon.  When Dr. Abdi's two daughters became of age, they both chose to attend medical school and join her in running this operation.

Dr. Hawa Abdi is an amazing woman and still runs these operations today.  She has written a memoir about her experiences titled "Keeping Hope Alive" and there is also a nonprofit organization today to help her in her mission titled the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation.  Dr. Hawa Abdi is a strong woman and is capable of doing anything she puts her mind to.  She is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and is an overall amazing woman in science.

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Resources:  
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/mar/08/hawa-abdi-100-women

http://www.vitalvoices.org/node/3500

http://dowser.org/keeping-hope-alive-in-somalia-dr-hawa-abdi/