Information For Prospective Volunteers

Over the years, we have had many volunteers who come to us during the summer for varying lengths of time and with different interests. Some volunteers, who had been with us as students, return to us a second time as graduates which makes us all very happy. We currently have one volunteer midwife from Norway, a part-time pediatric doctor from the USA and an English language teacher also from the USA. We are still looking for a medical doctors as well as tutors who can help us teach our student nurses and midwives as well as the medical student.

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 cataloging 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 MutilationRead a Study of FGM in Somaliland.

Volunteers are expected to pay for their own travel costs, pay for the cost of their Visa to enter Somaliland, and to 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

See also the pages linked below, blog entry by past volunteers:

Blog entry by volunteer Jessica Duby


Blog entry by volunteer Brigitte Herant Dunais, MD


Journal Entry by Writer / Educator Elayne Clift


These photos were sent us by past volunteer Karena Wienands, who was a great teacher at our Hospital and was very much loved by the staff and students. Other past volunteers are invited to submit photos for inclusion here!

These photos were sent us by Dr. Brigitte Herant Dunais who volunteered one month service at the Hospital.

These photos are from American Writer / Educator Elayne Clift, another Hospital volunteer.