Gaaroodi Women Development Association "GWDA" aka Hablaha Gaaroodi
Salahlay District
There had been an increase of maternal and neonatal emergencies and mortalities due to several reasons including social, pathological and environmental factors. The Somaliland Ministry of Health and Labour maintained only one Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clinic in Salahlay, serving the whole district population of around 150,000.
The nearest hospital was 65km away in the capital city of Hargeisa, Somaliland. The periodic cases of cholera in the district further put healthcare pressures on the region. Now the presence of the hospital has lowered incidences of maternal and neonatal fatalities, and supports the community in other areas of healthcare too.
Our Fundraising Strategy
What leads GWDA is self-determination. We fundraise internally using membership contributions, highlight the areas of need, design the projects and kickstart implementing the projects. We seek external funding where applicable. Each project is carried out by a newly elected management successively.
The Salahlay Hospital was implemented by GWDA's first management, who established GWDA in 2009. Our elected second management has implemented a fully functioning mental health hospital in the capital city of Hargeisa, Somaliland. The details of this project will be updated soon.
Considering GWDA's limited resources, we concentrate on achieving model projects in different areas of acute need. Our projects exhibit visual awareness that is both intuitive and easy to imitate for long term proficiency.
Our specific goal is to utilise local resources sustainably, using practices and techniques that can be duplicated, using local resources and putting it into use sustainably and ethically.
GWDA's Approach
More Images of the Salahlay Maternity Hospital
The Salahlay Hospital began as a maternity hospital. Here are images from the Computer Aided Design phase generated by the group, to the completion phase of the hospital. The drawing illustrates the tragic, true story of Farduus Ali Nuur and her unborn baby during the 65km journey from Salahlay to the nearest hospital in Hargeisa, which represents the wider story of maternal and neonatal deaths in the region. Expectant mothers now have access to pre and postnatal services within their district of Salahlay thanks to the hospital. This has improved neonatal and maternal survival outcomes in the region. There is a farm on-site that produces food that is used to support expecting and new mothers with healthy eating practices. Our work and the presence of the hospital has inspired other regenerative projects in the region, such as farms, dams, wells and greenhouses. We have also contributed to the construction of a road between Salahlay and Hargeisa, further developing the region. The Somaliland Ministry of Health and Labour (SMHL) recognises the Salahlay Hospital as a national health project, and shoulders the responsibility of managing it, as well as securing its future.
