On October 1, Edna proudly attended a ribbon-cutting to open the new Kids Operating Room at the Hospital (see photo above). The specialized facility will allow young patients to receive critical procedures, including cleft lip and palate repairs and insertion of shunts for severe cases of hydrocephalus, as well as many other vital surgeries which will transform their quality of life. Design and construction were funded by the Smile Train Foundation, with the Friends helping to purchase equipment and medical supplies for the new unit as it does for the hospital’s two other operating theaters.
Friends is also contributing $500k towards the new $1.5 m medical building currently under construction and has pledged additional funds for installing a wastewater treatment and filtration plant and an air-conditioning system. Scheduled for completion in early 2027, the new building will include outpatient departments and screening rooms, clinical laboratories, and inpatient wards for cases requiring overnight observation or short-term treatment. The additions will enable the Hospital to deliver state-of-the-art care to many more residents of Hargeisa and to accommodate the many patients with complicated pregnancies who are referred regularly to the Hospital from other parts of the country.
Your donations have enabled Friends to pay for emergency C-sections and hospital stays for mothers unable to afford them (average cost $400-450); provide two fellowships per year for nursing and mid–wifery students from impoverished families ($2000 each); and support the rural outreach work of hospital staff. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSJ1QMEYRMs&t=2s]
With successful cataract surgery behind her, Edna at age 88 continues to speak internationally on topics dear to her heart and to receive worldwide honors for her lifetime of work. In March, she was invited by Her Majesty Queen Camilla to a reception at Buckingham Palace for the 15th anniversary of WOW (Women of the World) in recognition of her global contributions to maternal health and women’s rights. In November, she was in Manila to accept a Gusi Peace Prize, awarded annually to individuals and organizations who contribute to global peace and progress. And in December, she will go to Mumbai to receive the prestigious Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice from the Harmony Foundation for her ‘exemplary service in advancing healthcare, women’s rights, and social justice under challenging circumstances.’
These many honors notwithstanding, Edna’s greatest satisfaction comes from the continuing care she and her staff are able to provide to the women and children of Somaliland, including the 1326 babies delivered at the hospital in 2025 (as of November 30). Meanwhile, another cohort of 18 medical doctors—13 of them women—graduated from the Edna Adan University in 2025, while among the students currently completing their bachelor degrees (in Nursing, Midwifery, and Public Health) are six who were themselves born at the Hospital soon after it opened in 2002!
Now in its 25th year of supporting Edna’s mission, Friends remains unendingly grateful for your donations, which include a number of annual bequests and legacy gifts from our long-time supporters. Edna and her remarkable team join me in thanking all of you for your generosity and in extending our warmest wishes for a blessed holiday season and a healthy, peaceful New Year.
Sincerely,
Lee V. Cassanelli, President, Friends of Edna’s Maternity Hospital