Hormuud Salaam Foundation Sends Somali Girls to Italy for Life-Saving Heart Surgery 

MOGADISHU, Somalia - Two Somali girls, their fragile hearts battling conditions too complex for local hospitals, boarded a plane from Mogadishu to Milan, Italy on Sunday, a journey made possible by the Hormuud Salaam Foundation [HSF] in a bid to save their lives. 

The young girls were identified during a rare visit by Italian doctors to Somalia’s capital. Screenings at Welcare Hospital uncovered a hidden crisis: a cluster of children with congenital heart defects, desperate for surgery beyond the war-scarred nation’s reach. For these two, aged between 5 and 12 according to the doctors, the clock was ticking. 

“They couldn’t wait any longer,” said Abdullahi Nur Osman, head of the Hormuud Salaam Foundation, which has stepped in where Somalia’s fragile healthcare system falls short. “We’re giving them a chance to live.” 

Speaking at Aden Abdulle International Airport during the farewell, the HSF boss said the two girls are among six children set to be sent to Milan, Italy, for heart surgeries. The program, which started last year, is part of the foundation's continued efforts to assist children with congenital heart defects. 

The foundation, partnering with Italy’s government to cover the costs, orchestrated the mission with the precision of a lifeline. The girls will undergo intricate surgeries at a Milan hospital renowned for pediatric cardiology, a stark contrast to Mogadishu’s overstretched facilities. 

Adna Moalim Abdirahman, a Somali humanitarian whose quiet determination has become a beacon for families in need, is leading the initiative. “This is about hope,” she said outside Welcare Hospital on Sunday, where tearful parents waved goodbye to their daughters. We’re fighting for every heartbeat.” 

The initiative builds on a legacy of mercy. In 2024, the foundation sent eight other children to Italy for similar operations, all of whom returned home with stronger pulses and brighter futures. Osman said the latest mission reflects a broader commitment to tackling Somalia’s healthcare gaps, where decades of conflict have left medical infrastructure in tatters.

At Mogadishu’s airport, the girls’ parents clung to gratitude amid their fears. “I never thought this day would come,” said one mother, her voice breaking as she praised Adna and the foundation. “They’ve given us everything.”

The Hormuud Salaam Foundation, in a statement, thanked its partners - Welcare Hospital, Italy’s embassy, and Somalia’s Ministry of Health for their vital contributions. But for Osman, the focus remains on the bigger picture. “There are more children out there,” he said. “We won’t stop.” 

Somalia, still grappling with insecurity and poverty, relies heavily on such initiatives. Heart defects, often treatable in wealthier nations, can be a death sentence here without intervention. The foundation’s efforts, though a drop in the bucket, signal a lifeline for a nation in need—one child at a time.

GAROWE ONLINE