The people of the African republic of Somaliland voted in 1991 to become an independent nation. They argue that there are enough cultural, political and social differences between them and the people of Somalia to make Somaliland a separate country, as was the case briefly in 1960. But the world has not yet formally recognized an independent Somaliland, a cause dear to the hearts of its people. Cathy Majtenyi files this report for VOA on the push for international recognition.

Somalilanders stress that their country is peaceful and orderly — a fully functional state in sharp contrast to the chaotic warlord system and weak central government of Somalia.

The British had a strong presence in Somaliland by the late 1800s, with Somaliland becoming a British protectorate, separate from Italian-ruled lands to the south.

Berbera port also served the US navy in the 1980s during the first Gulf war.

A Stoning in Somalia

Incidentally, for anyone interested in Somalia, there is a superb aid project in the northern breakaway republic of Somaliland: a maternity hospital run by Edna Adan, a former U.N. official who used her savings and pension to build the hospital and fight death in childbirth. Edna is truly waging a heroic battle to improve health care and raise the status of women among Somalis, and it’s being supported by various Americans who know Edna and have been moved by her work. I visited her and have this video of her work.

My theory is that women in Somaliland die because of ignorance on their part and on the part of those assisting them. Poverty is a strong factor that prevents women from seeking help because they convince themselves that they cannot afford the cost of modern medicine and would rather consult the local traditional healer who often causes more complications.

As far as African women are concerned… We fare the worst compared to women in other continents. In my 48-year experience as a midwife, I see very little improvement in the conditions under which our women progress through their pregnancies and childbirth. It’s a situation that shocks me even more today when I witness the advances that have been made in medical care elsewhere during the past half-century.

What leads the women of our continent to their graves during pregnancy and childbirth? As I describe below, the reasons fall into six categories: nutrition, education, high fertility, female genital mutilation, improper care at delivery and inadequate health facilities.

Read the Full Article:

On The Issues Magazine: Fall 2008: The Terror of Motherhood in Somaliland and Women’s Rights to Safe Care by Edna Adan Ismail

I’ve often recommended that young people go and live abroad for a time, the better to understand the world — and also the better to see their own country. Somaliland is a wonderful little country, and I can’t imagine a more remarkable experience than spending a year teaching at Edna’s hospital.

Read the Complete Article

Mr. Kristof’s article, When Aid Harms, is written in response to the following message to him from Edna.

I am writing to you in desperation because we have lost ten of our best qualified nurses and midwives to International NGOs who do not support us during the training but who snatch the best from us with salary offers that we cannot match. Somehow, we seem to have become victims of our success because our nurses are the best in the country. We train four times what our hospital needs but still cannot cover the demand for good and responsible nurses. My greatest need is for Nurse/Midwife trainers for the next couple of years so that I can get the current 70 students in training graduated. We would welcome Interns to teach English, basic Sciences, and if possible, Nursing subjects. We are also willing to pay a salary of $800 a month plus food and accommodation to qualified midwife trainers, as well as the air ticket.

Only, please remember that the prices here all reflect our cost exactly. The Edna Hospital makes nothing when you purchase things here. But we do want you to have the opportunity to show the world how proud you are to be among the active supporters of the hospital.

Edna Hospital Shop at Cafe Press : www.cafepress.com/ednahospital

Here is Devin’s second video from Somaliland. This one is a little more focused on the country itself but it also includes an interview with Edna Adan Ismail, who, previously served as Somaliland’s foreign minister between 2003 and 2006.

Your comments to these Blog entries are always welcome!

by Jennie Goutet, HOPE worldwide

March 9, 2002 was a monumental day in Somaliland as the first nonprofit, teaching maternity hospital in Hargeisa opened at 9:00 a.m.

Opening Ceremonies at the Edna Hospital

After four years of planning and construction, the Vice President, Dahir Riyale Kahin, cut the ribbon and led the procession into the hospital to tour the Operating Theatre, Maternity Ward and Pediatric Ward.

Witnessing the Opening

The opening of Edna Adan Maternity Hospital is a victory.

Witnessing the Opening

The site once used as a mass killing field during the civil war for independence (1988-1990) under Siad Barre’s reign, is now a haven for bringing new life into the world.

Currently, it is estimated that

• Ten women die each day during childbirth
• One out of every eight children dies before they reach one year of age
• One child out of every five won’t reach the age of five

The hospital presents a hope that these statistics will soon change for the better.

The first baby, delivered the following day

The first proud mother

In the first month, 74 patients delivered babies, one mother already saved from a certain death due to hemorrhage. One caesarian section was performed successfully on March 16, with mother and child both doing fine.

With the crisp appearance of the wards and the sterile, modern equipment in the operating theatre (thanks to the donations of the hospital’s supporters), patients are sometimes reluctant to go home. They are confident that all their needs will be attended to by the team of dedicated workers at the hospital.

Edna Adan Ismail has reason to celebrate. The child of a prominent doctor, her dream for helping the sick began at an early age. She has poured her life and savings into seeing this hospital open, and is rejoicing at its success. It’s not the first hospital she attempted to build; the first was in Mogadishu (1984 to 1988) and was taken over when civil war erupted and regretfully was never brought to completion.

The Edna Adan hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland is a true testimony to Edna’s perseverance and dream to help her people fight to live free of disease and sickness.

Celebration following the ceremony

Reported by Jennie Goutet, HOPE worldwide

The first regional consultative seminar on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) was held for the countries of the Horn of Africa February 19-21, 2002. Seminar attendees gathered from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somaliland and Somalia (Bosaso, Mogadishu) to discuss ways to end this barbaric ritual.

FGM dates back to ancient Egypt when young girls would be circumcised to ensure that those sent to the Pharaoh would always be a virgin. The practice continues today in the form of circumcision or mutilation all throughout Africa and parts of the Middle East. The mutilation is usually done in rural areas, without anaesthesia, and with a dull and dirty razor blade, knife or bone that kills many of the girls due to complications.

Among the speakers at the Seminar were representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Religion. They discussed the health concerns that FGM poses in the young girl as well as during her childbearing years. The Qur’aan was read and an expert in religion proved that the Qur’aan does not support bodily mutilation, and that the practice is therefore contrary to the predominant religion in the very countries where it is practiced.

Efforts were focused primarily on collaboration between these countries in the efforts to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation by sending out a common message and developing strategies and educational material in Somali, which is spoken in all of these countries. It was jointly agreed upon that February 21 would annually be recognized as FGM Day and that the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital would be the center of cooperation and communication for the Horn of Africa on FGM-related issues.