Hiil hooyo - maternal healthcare project in Somalia

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

The key development problem is high maternal mortality having multiple negative effects to the local people’s lives and to the development. The project is planned for 6 years, this first phase being 2 years. The outcomes are: - Skills and motivation of healthcare workers and traditional birth attendants improved - Awareness of the importance of antenatal and postnatal care, and of giving birth in a facility increased - Somalian university partners’ capacity of study programs on MCH work improved - Capacity of local administrations and other actors in the health sector improved - Equipment and its use in MCH facilities improved in the project areas The main activities are: - in-service trainings to traditional birth attendants and healthcare workers - disability education trainings - awareness raising programs - facilitation of collaboration between Finnish UAS and Somalian university partners - workshops to health care administrators, piloting the Finnish “maternal health card” - procurement of equipment The project is human rights progressive enhancing women’s right to maternal health and rights of disabled people to health care. It empowers women to participate in the development reducing thus inequality and promoting gender equality, women and girls being the main final beneficiaries of the project. Climate sustainability is taken into consideration in all activities by choosing climate sensitive solutions and working methods. The project is implemented at 3 sites in northern Somalia with 3 partner NGOs in Finland, 3 partner NGOs in Somalia, 2 Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences and 3 Somalian universities. The innovative cooperative model enforces the civil society in Somalia and creates new networks, promoting in that way also peace and stability. The beneficiaries include women at reproductive age and pregnant mothers with their children, midwives and healthcare workers, traditional birth attendants, persons with disabilities, university lecturers and students, students in secondary schools, health administrators, the partner NGOs, and finally families and communities in general in the project areas with the estimated population of 300 000.