Sixty-two-year-old Maryan Hajji has embarked on a remarkable career that began in 1987 when she enrolled in her first Civil Service Nursing School in Mogadishu at the age of 22. A mother of seven, Maryan was born in the rural town of Walanwayn in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia in 1963. She never imagined that she would have the opportunity to attend school; however, that dream became a reality when her father took her to Mogadishu to start a new life. Maryan recalls her excitement upon learning of her acceptance into the nursing school in 1987. As her nursing journey began, her path in midwifery transformed her career and life for decades to come. She graduated with a diploma in midwifery in 1999, fulfilling a dream she had long awaited.
Maryan’s work reflects the broader goals championed by partners like UNFPA, which supports reproductive health and rights globally. In Somalia, her efforts have aligned with national and international initiatives aimed at enhancing access to skilled midwifery services and reducing maternal and newborn mortality—goals that Maryan has personally championed throughout her 34-year career.
However, as Maryan entered the workforce in late 1990, Somalia’s civil war erupted. “I was thrilled to start a new job and career that I had worked so hard for,” Maryan recalls, but “everything changed overnight,” she remembers. As the fighting intensified in the capital, Mogadishu, Maryan had no choice but to flee the city.
For years, Maryan had lived in peace, and fleeing a country she called home was “unfortunate and untimely.” She reflected on her departure from Mogadishu as war raged in the capital. “Somalia’s golden era of peace and stability was coming to an end, but I was grateful to have graduated just before the onset of the war,” she said. As uncertainty regarding Somalia's impending conflict grew, Maryan decided to board a boat bound for Marka, a small and historic coastal town about a two-hour sail from Mogadishu. Gradually, Maryan began to rebuild her life and continue her midwifery career in her new home of Marka.
Maryan began her first midwifery job in Marka and had a stable life there since 1990; however, the new environment was not ‘conducive to her growth and family.’ During her time in Marka, she safely and successfully delivered countless babies. In 1991, Maryan joined UNICEF’s neonatal center in Wardhiigley, where she worked as a registered midwife. For her, working with UNICEF Somalia was a stepping stone toward her aspirations for a career with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). She later joined Concern Worldwide, an Irish organization that has been ‘present in Somalia since 1986.’ Maryan pursued a career in NGOs, and throughout her time as a midwife, she has worked for several organizations, including the New Ways Organization, where she currently serves as a registered midwife at the Malable Health Centre in Walanweyn, Lower Shabelle.
During her tenure at Banadir Health Centre, UNICEF, Concern Worldwide, and now the New Ways Organization, she has saved countless pregnant mothers and infants through her maternity expertise and counseling in some of the most challenging health environments for women.
One of the most complicated and memorable cases that Maryan recalls from her 34 years as a midwife occurred in 1991 when she was brought to a heavily expectant mother who was in labor. The woman had been in labor for five days, which Maryan found 'strange and unique.' After exhausting all options locally, she helped raise funds for a hospital referral in Mogadishu. Even after being returned in labor, Maryan made the critical decision to deliver the baby herself using her extensive experience and trust in God. Her intervention saved both mother and child’s lives—an outcome that remains a source of pride and motivation.
This is just the tip of the iceberg given the prevalence of maternal deaths in the country. Maryan added, "There are hundreds of cases like that woman, who knows, but we are doing everything we can to save as many lives as possible."
One of the four biggest challenges to maternity care and the safe delivery of babies in her 34 years of experience as a senior midwife is FGM, also known as Female Genital Mutilation. Maryan’s tireless advocacy against FGM echoes the work of organizations which have long supported programs aimed at eliminating this harmful practice in Somalia. Through collaboration with local actors, including awareness campaigns and women's empowerment initiatives, Maryan contributes to a broader movement that seeks to end FGM by 2030.
Despite her full-time job at Malable Health Centre, Maryan’s responsibilities extend beyond delivering babies; she occasionally conducts community awareness sessions to educate others about the harmful practices that hinder women's reproductive and sexual health. New Ways Organization and partners like UNFPA have worked to address FGM through training survivors and supporting grassroots outreach.
Maryan strongly believes that lack of investment in healthcare education is another factor contributing to maternal deaths in Somalia. Her commitment to mentoring younger midwives aligns with ongoing efforts to build a competent health workforce through training and capacity-building programs.
According to Maryan, cultural expectations place significant pressure on women in Somalia, often prioritizing marriage over career aspirations. Many young women face discouragement when pursuing careers in midwifery due to societal beliefs that devalue women's professional roles. Despite these pressures, many aspiring midwives express intrinsic motivation driven by a desire to improve maternal health outcomes in their communities.
The combination of a critical shortage of trained midwives, ongoing conflict affecting healthcare delivery, barriers within educational systems, and restrictive gender norms creates a multifaceted crisis for midwifery in Somalia. Addressing these issues requires comprehensive interventions aimed at improving educational standards, ensuring safety for healthcare workers, and changing societal perceptions about women's roles in healthcare.
Despite her age and environmental factors affecting her life, Maryan continues her work in Walanwayn, Lower Shabelle. When asked if she hopes to retire anytime soon, Maryan ruled out any possibility of hitting the hay. "I want to keep working for as long as I can," she said, reflecting on the overwhelming nature of her work at her Centre as a midwife. Currently, the Malable Health Centre, funded by UNICEF and the Somalia Humanitarian Fund (SHF), is the only free delivery service center in Walanwayn district and surrounding villages. The health centre provides antenatal care, free delivery, child nutrition, and immunization services to an estimated 800 clients each month. Other services include a counseling and nutrition section where breastfeeding and malnourished mothers receive support.
The story of Maryan is a powerful testimony to the role of women in driving changes in the fragile healthcare system in Somalia. Maryan is grateful to her decades of work and described the 34-year long experience as “rewarding and fulfilling.”
The work of Maryan is more than a typical success story—it deserves attention and recognition for her decade-long commitment to community and health service. In celebration of the upcoming International Day of the Midwife, let us all recognize and celebrate the work Maryan has done for the Somali people for the last 34 years and counting.
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New Ways Organization
Ahmed Abdi, New Ways Communications Officer
