At Iftiinka Hooyada our work focuses on strengthening maternal and child health through sustainable, hospital-based and community-centered solutions. We bring our mission to life through three core initiatives designed to support mothers, equip healthcare providers, and build long-term capacity within the Somali Region.
We train and employ doulas across the Somali Region to work directly within hospitals. These doulas provide continuous emotional, physical, and educational support to mothers before, during, and after childbirth—helping ensure respectful, patient-centered care.
Beyond the hospital walls, doulas bring care into the community through monthly education and support circles that equip families with practical knowledge on pregnancy, safe childbirth, breastfeeding, postpartum well-being, and newborn care. These sessions create trusted and welcoming spaces for mothers and families to ask questions, share concerns, and receive culturally grounded guidance. By extending support into the community, this program strengthens confidence, builds trust, and creates a vital bridge between communities and the healthcare system.
Hospitals cannot save lives without the tools needed to do so. We address critical shortages by supplying healthcare facilities with essential equipment such as delivery beds, incubators, oxygen machines, infection-control supplies, and lifesaving medications.
By improving access to these basic yet critical resources, we work to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths and make childbirth safer for both mothers and babies across the Somali Region.
Inspired by the founder’s own journey navigating barriers to global health work, this internship program creates a clear and accessible pathway for students and early-career professionals interested in global health.
Through hands-on experience in the Somali Region, interns contribute to public health, policy, and quality improvement initiatives while working alongside local partners. This initiative is designed to build future global health leaders while strengthening health systems—creating impact that extends far beyond a single placement.