Hargeisa January 31, 2010
Information For Prospective Volunteers
Although our hospital mainly focuses on addressing the health of women and children, we also look after other patients who suffer from various health problems and who have either come to us directly for treatment, or who have been referred to us from another health facility. In addition to looking after the sick, we are a teaching hospital where nurses, midwives, as well as laboratory technicians are trained. Also on clinical rotation are medical students who are sent to us by their medical school for practical experience.
Over the years, we have had many volunteers who have come to us for varying lengths of time and with different interests. Some volunteers, who had been with us as students, returned to us a second time as graduates which made us all very happy. We currently have one volunteer from Norway, one volunteer from Finland, one doctor from the USA for two more weeks. We are still looking for a medical doctor and a nurse tutors who can help us teach our nurses and midwives.
The volunteers we welcome are those who are either trained in or studying any of the various health professions such as nursing, midwifery, medicine, biochemistry and so on.
Some volunteers stay for three months or more but we never accept those who plan to stay for less than two weeks. We also accept volunteers who can teach English as a foreign language to our staff and students; those who can help in our library and with cataloguing books; those who can help with our computers and IT needs; those who know something about statistics and data collection who can help us with an on-going research on Female Genital Mutilation.
Volunteers are expected to pay for their own travel costs, pay for the cost of their Visa to enter Somaliland, and cover their food and accommodation at the hospital guestrooms while here. We also require a CV and a letter of reference from a college, university, a parent or recent employer. Our hospital is strictly tobacco, alcohol and drug free.
In return, we offer volunteers a unique experience in a small hospital in a country that is stable and where, unlike neighbouring Somalia, the people in Somaliland are trying to make things work and slowly but steadily reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality rates with the limited resources available in the country.
While here, volunteers live in our guest-rooms where I too live and we all eat at my dining table. The comfort and safety of our guests are our priority and we also arrange volunteers to experience cultural and traditional events whenever the occasion presents itself. Volunteers also make friends with staff and students which gives them a chance to see different aspects of life in Somaliland.
We hope that this information will assist with your decision about volunteering at our hospital and would be happy to provide further information if coming to us.
Best regards,
Edna Adan Ismail
