In the heart of Aden, where conflict, fragility and a crumbling health system converge, 2 health care heroes – Ashwaq Saeed and Hind Hadi – are quietly rewriting the story of maternal and newborn survival. Each day, at Al-Sadaqa Teaching Hospital, they struggle against the odds to give every newborn the best possible start in life.

Ashwaq Saeed, Supervisor of the Midwifery Department and Head of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Ward, started at Al-Sadaqa as a volunteer. Her role soon evolved into a life-defining mission.

“Midwifery isn’t just about delivering babies,” says Ashwaq. “It’s about being present at the most vulnerable and beautiful moment in a family’s life.”

In a health system where only 50% of facilities are fully functional and maternal and neonatal mortality rates are alarmingly high, Ashwaq’s passion fills a critical gap. She and her team face a near constant scarcity of supplies, workforce shortages and low community awareness, yet she finds ingenious ways to adapt.