In a country striving to recover amid prolonged challenges, Dr. Abdirahman Ali Awali, widely known as Dr. Habeeb, has emerged over the past two decades as a leading figure in mental health in Somalia. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of his organization, Habeeb Mental Health and Rehabilitation, established on November 24, 2005.<\/p>\n
Over the years, what began as a modest initiative has grown into one of the largest mental health institutions in East Africa, providing professional and compassionate care to thousands of patients who were once marginalized, chained, or living on the streets.<\/p>\n
A Humanitarian Journey Beginning on the Streets<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Habeeb recalls the moment that inspired his mission:<\/p>\n \u201cThe turning point came when I saw a group of young girls with mental health disorders being abused in the streets. Staying silent felt like a crime. Establishing a specialized center became an ethical duty before it was a professional project.\u201d<\/p>\n From this experience, he established the first post-war mental health center, which has now evolved into an organization managing four main centers in Mogadishu and its outskirts, serving about 600 residents aged 17 to 33.<\/p>\n Rescuing a Homeless Elderly Man<\/strong><\/p>\n In April 2025, Dr. Habeeb made headlines after rescuing an elderly man with a mental disorder wandering Mogadishu\u2019s streets.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was alone and lost\u2026 I couldn\u2019t leave him there. We took him immediately to Habeeb Center to begin his treatment journey,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This case was part of a wider awareness campaign to challenge misconceptions about mental illness.<\/p>\n \u201cA mental patient doesn\u2019t need chains; they need a doctor, medication, and compassion,\u201d Dr. Habeeb added.<\/p>\n Challenges and Perseverance<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite limited resources, the organization continues its mission.<\/p>\n \u201cWe serve 600 residents, yet food supplies sometimes only cover 100. Still, we never close our doors. Leaving any patient on the street would betray our professional ethics,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n 345,000 Cases: A Sobering Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n During the World Mental Health Day celebration on October 10, 2025, Dr. Habeeb revealed that approximately 345,000 people in Somalia suffer from varying mental health disorders, many living chained or without care.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lack of specialized training exacerbates the challenge and hinders rehabilitation efforts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Training the Next Generation<\/strong><\/p>\n On July 16, 2025, the organization graduated 54 new mental health specialists after a three-month diploma program in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest challenge is not just the disease itself, but the lack of trained professionals. We are preparing the next generation of mental health specialists,\u201d Dr. Habeeb emphasized.<\/p>\n Addado: Somalia\u2019s First Modern Mental Hospital<\/strong><\/p>\n In May 2024, the organization inaugurated the first specialized mental health hospital in Addado, receiving about 900 patients from Somalia, Puntland, Somaliland, and the Somali Region of Ethiopia. This marked the transformation of the organization from a small volunteer initiative into a national healthcare institution.<\/p>\n Stories That Define the Mission<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to the elderly man, the organization provided immediate care on April 13, 2025, to a young man found wandering the streets.<\/p>\n \u201cThese stories fuel our work. We restore to those who lost themselves their right to a dignified life,\u201d Dr. Habeeb said.<\/p>\n Raising Awareness<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Habeeb has launched widespread awareness campaigns in schools, universities, and mosques to dismantle misconceptions about mental illness.<\/p>\n \u201cMany still associate mental illness with possession or shame. Our mission is to redefine it as a treatable medical condition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n International Recognition<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Habeeb has been nominated for the Somali Hero Awards, one of the most prestigious humanitarian awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to social and health causes. The award ceremony is scheduled next month in the United States, attracting global Somali and international attention.<\/p>\n Twenty Years Later<\/strong><\/p>\n Reflecting on two decades of work, Dr. Habeeb said:<\/p>\n \u201cTwenty years of pain and hope\u2026 we have saved thousands of lives, but the mission is far from over. I dream of a day when mental health becomes an integral part of Somalia\u2019s healthcare system, not a luxury or an afterthought.\u201d<\/p>\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n After twenty years, Habeeb Mental Health and Rehabilitation has become a cornerstone of Somalia\u2019s healthcare system, a beacon of hope for patients who lived in the shadows. Dr. Habeeb has shown that a single individual with determination and compassion can transform a nation\u2019s approach to mental health.<\/p>\n Mental health is a human right, not a stigma.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a country striving to recover amid prolonged challenges, Dr. Abdirahman Ali Awali, widely known as Dr. Habeeb, has emerged over the past two decades as a leading figure in mental health in Somalia. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of his organization, Habeeb Mental Health and Rehabilitation, established on November 24, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":452641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-452640","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=452640"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":452643,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452640\/revisions\/452643"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/452641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sonna.so\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}