15791113[1]I just finished this amazing – and inspiring – autobiography of Dr. Hawa Abdi and her work in Somalia.  I’ve heard Dr. Abdi speak several times, and met one of her courageous daughters, Dr. Deqo Abdi.  But, the book provides so much more insight than those interactions.  It gives a clear and nuanced account of her life, her accomplishments, her challenges and her work.  Somalia is a tough place to do this work – taking in families, providing needed health care and other services.

While most would shy away from the challenges, or be deterred by them, Dr. Abdi and her daughters are not.  But the book is much more than a guide to her work and her determination, it is a portrait of a real woman who faces personal and family challenges, and is willing to talk about them openly and honestly.   This is a book worth reading, about a woman who is definitely worth knowing.