Dr. Sadiyo Siad

Dr Sadiyo Siad, a single mother of five, philanthropist, an activist and a campaigner, a volunteer and the founder and CEO of Eva Organization for Women (EOW-Charity), has always dedicated her life to serving others. Besides her entrepreneurial ventures and a medical career, one of her recent, many contributions to the well-being of women, their families and young people was her work as a public health coordinator.

Education and breaking through barriers for women and young people are very important issues to Dr Siad. She is devoted to helping people who are in charitable need and enlightening them through her area of expertise.

Previously, Sadiyo worked as a nurse at Keysaney Surgical Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); midwife assistant at Alrahma Voluntary Hospital in Mogadishu; midwife assistant and medical interpreter and translator at Silkeborg Hospital, Denmark; regular guest lecturer on female genitalia mutilation (FGM) at Silkeborg Nursing School since 1996; teacher assistant and translator at AOF Sprog skole, Silkeborg, Denmark; and a counsellor for refugees, asylum seekers and clients with mental health problems and other disabilities at Adventure in Motion (AIM), Leicester, UK. She also volunteered with Amity Project at Voluntary Action Leicester (VAL), UK, where she was awarded the accolade of AMITY Befrienders Award in 2004 and also volunteered as a part of the Cohesion & Sustainability Project at Northfields Advice Centre, Leicester, UK.

Within her Department at the University of Leicester (Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation), Sadiyo has also contributed by serving as post graduate student and staff committees since 2010, organising annual departmental conferences and social events. She has also worked as a TA, teaching under graduate students in their practical classes. Sadiyo was awarded the Frank May Cup and the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2012 at the University of Leicester for the work she has done through EOW (Read more). Also, she was the winner of Enterprising Student of the Year (2014) and was also accredited by the Leicester Award from the University of Leicester during her recently completed PhD study in Infectious Disease and Immunology.

Currently, Sadiyo is finishing her second master’s degree (MSc in Medical Diagnostics) at Cranfield University; works; is launching her own company later in the year and is a regular guest lecturer on infectious diseases in Disaster and Refugee Camps at Coventry University. She trains on FGM and is also a coach for self/personal development programmes. She is the first fellow of the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future programme to study at the University of Leicester; she is a public speaker and has spoken at many national/international conferences and events and has also featured on many television and radio news programmes including BBC Leicester Radio on several occasions, and BBC TV East Midlands, Channel 4, itv and Universal TV (Somali TV), as well as speaking to journalists at the Leicester Mercury.