Skip to content

One man’s quest to build a hospital

Posted on by Elias Kifle

By Andra Jackson, watoday.com


Abdalla Ahmed
[Photo: Penny Stephens]

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — FERRYING passengers around in a Melbourne taxi, Abdalla Ahmed might seem to be one more refugee dreaming of bringing out those he left behind.

But Mr Ahmed harbours a grander vision, one that has embraced an entire town in Ethiopia and inspired support from around the world.

Somalia-born Mr Ahmed’s personal dream of being a doctor was shattered when, three years into his studies in 1979, he was forced to flee on political grounds. He came to Australia in 1982 and after a humble start packing cigarettes in a factory, became a public servant.

Years later, arrivals from Ethiopia’s Somali community urged him to visit their war and drought-stricken homeland and see what might be done to ease suffering there.

Mr Ahmed’s father was born in Ethiopia, migrating to Somalia in 1943, and most of their family was still there. In 2005, Mr Ahmed went back.

At the town of Raaso, with a population of 80,000, he found “no education, no water, no hospital”. He asked what they needed most. They nominated a hospital, saying “our women are dying during labour”.

Back in Melbourne, Mr Ahmed enlisted Pastor Allan Herman, chief executive of the International Volunteer Health Network, and documentary maker David Schmidt. Filming in Ethiopia in 2006, Mr Ahmed met the country’s health minister and asked why the government could not build a hospital in Raaso.

The minister suggested he look to the Ethiopian diaspora for funds “and we will give you doctors and nurses”. Armed with a memorandum of understanding and Schmidt’s footage, Mr Ahmed returned to Australia, giving up his job and driving a taxi to support himself while he knocked on doors.

Banyule Community Health Centre, where Mr Ahmed is on the board, gave him an office and sponsorship. Mobile Mission International in Whittlesea contributed a hospital design that depended on $22,500 for materials. Mr Ahmed had the money within three weeks. So far he has raised $100,000, as well as obtaining 60 beds and medical equipment from the Austin and Warringal hospitals.

Mr Ahmed estimates another $200,000 is needed to complete the 100-bed hospital by next June, but he is optimistic – so much so that, at 51, he is even contemplating resuming medical studies, bringing two dreams together.

11 thoughts on “One man’s quest to build a hospital”

  1. Great Ethiopian Great dream.Alah fulfill your Wishes and dreams.Thank you my brother long life for you and your family.Elias please post his address so all Ethiopians will be a part of this great cause.

  3. Bravo Mr. Ahmed, this is a typical example that we all have to follow. Let’s all do something……

    Matthew 7:7-11 ” Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
    Therefore, have we ever asked our selves to find a soultion before we simply wait some miracles comes from sky to resolve all these complex problems. We all have to realize that we have the solutions on our hands…lets invest our potential to save millions of our people who are dying everyday with famine that is caused by lack of good governance. Lets fight the bad governacne by any means we can so that we all can ultimatly resolve our end less crises. Lets stop sticking together our leaps and start asking our selvers questions like what can i do? what is my contribution to resolve this? and so on…but stop expecting a miracle to resolve these crises after we read and saw the devasting news by saying….EGEZER ANDE NEGER YAMITALIN….lets us all come to one umberella and remove the weyane regime once and for all.

  5. Well done man. I really admire your courage. Hope people will join for your nobel idea. May God be with you all the time, Ethiopians need to arm with ideas like that of Mr Ahmeds. Go ahead man!!!!

  8. What a wonderful character!Abdalla shines!May his dreams be fulfilled!May we also follow his example by helping our hungry and dying folks particularly at this hour of great need.Let us do something practical!Any suggestions?

  9. Welldone Ahmed,we have to help our people because Meles and his TPLF can only destroy but never build,they can only take from our people but never give us anything.May Allah help you realize your noble endeavor.

  10. Mr.Ahmed god be with on your journey. Let,s Ethiopians,somalians any who wants to help for this grate cause help Mr.Ahmed finacialy. Elias please help us getting his full information.

Leave a Reply