My Leadership Journey
This blog was written by Fatima Salih, Registered Nurse & Founder of the Sudanese Nursing Leadership Initiative (SNLI)
In 2016, I embarked on my nursing journey at the Omdurman Islamic University with excitement and a deep sense of purpose to help my community. I was eager to embrace the science of nursing and contribute meaningfully to healthcare. However, I quickly realized that the perception of nursing within my community was undervalued. This sentiment echoed within my university, where my peers and I often felt discouraged. Recognising the need for change, I took my first steps toward leadership by establishing the Omdurman Islamic Faculty of Nursing Association.
Training for 45 nurses & 5 midwives on public health, leadership & research methodology
The Association became a platform for advocacy and action, organising forums and awareness campaigns to highlight the pivotal role of nurses and to introduce student nurses to the different fields of nursing. By collaborating with students and professionals, we fostered a new sense of pride and energy among our peers. This experience taught me the power of grassroots initiatives and community engagement in changing narratives and creating movements.
In 2019, when Sudan faced a devastating cholera outbreak, I joined a health professional team dispatched to Shabasha in White Nile State, where 75 active cases were reported. At the hospital, my role was to provide medical care and help manage disease complications. However, the situation was critical, with 20 new cases emerging daily. Recognising the importance of prevention, I stepped into a dual role by supporting the surveillance system and training 25 women from the community on preventive measures. Within two weeks, my efforts yielded incredible results: we reached zero new cases.
This experience was transformative. Witnessing first-hand the potential of patient education and community engagement underscored the need for a stronger involvement of nurses and midwives in health promotion. Motivated by this realisation, I joined the Sudanese Nursing Student Federation (SNSF), a national student network aimed at empowering nurses and midwives to address public health issues. Over the next two years, I actively participated in projects that involved nurses in health promotion activities, striving to redefine their roles in Sudan’s healthcare system. Despite these efforts, I noticed a significant gap in participation. Few nurses were consistently involved, and many were unaware of their critical role in health promotion. This challenge drove me to establish the Sudanese Nursing Leadership Initiative (SNLI), an Initiative dedicated to empowering nurses and midwives by developing their leadership skills.
Soft skills training for nurses, 2022
To expand the reach, I created a Facebook page to advocate for nurses’ roles in achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goal 3: good health and well-being. Through this platform, I connected with 16,000 nurses across Sudan, fostering a community of shared learning and advocacy. One of our most impactful programmes involved training 45 nurses and 5 midwives in non-communicable disease control. These trained professionals played a pivotal role in raising awareness among 5,000 women about early breast cancer detection and cervical cancer prevention.
The onset of war in Sudan posed significant challenges to our operations. I faced displacement across four states and witnessed first-hand how flooding and a lack of clean water and latrine facilities exacerbated cholera outbreaks to critical levels. Despite these obstacles, I remained committed to addressing health needs. In collaboration with Loctorio Medical Platform, I trained 25 nurses on preventive tools to combat cholera. Their efforts contributed to a remarkable 40% reduction in cases.
These experiences reinforced my belief in the importance of leadership and collaboration. Nurses and midwives are not just caregivers; they are change agents who can build community resilience, especially in resource-limited settings.
Through the SNLI, I worked to bridge the gap between early-career and senior nurses by organising mentorship programmes and facilitating knowledge exchange.
While these initiatives brought impactful results, I recognise the need for broader systemic change. Advocacy and policy-making are essential to creating sustainable improvements in healthcare. My vision is to amplify nurses’ voices in shaping health policies, ensuring they are central to public health solutions.
Nursing forum & discussions about the status of nursing education in Sudan
Looking back on my journey, I am filled with gratitude for the experiences that have shaped me as a leader. From empowering my peers at university to collaborating with communities during a public health crisis, I have learned that change begins with action and a shared commitment to a healthier future.
My journey has solidified my belief that nurses and midwives have a transformative role in addressing public health challenges and shaping resilient healthcare systems. From grassroots advocacy to community-based interventions, I have witnessed the profound impact of empowering these professionals to lead change. However, achieving systemic, sustainable improvements requires a commitment to advocacy, policy-making, and global collaboration. By equipping nurses with the skills and platforms to lead, we can build a future where their contributions are recognised and maximised.
In 2020, I discovered the Nursing Now Challenge, and it has been a pivotal part of my journey as a Leader. It opened my eyes to a global community of nurses, united by our shared passion and commitment to improving health systems and empowering our profession.
Fatima shares her experience during a Nursing Now Challenge webinar
As a nurse in Sudan, during a time of war and immense challenges, the Nursing Now Challenge has been a lifeline for me. This platform not only provides resources and learning opportunities but also creates a space for nurses across the globe to connect, collaborate, and inspire each other.
Hearing stories from nurses like Rafiat in Nigeria, Zipporah in Kenya, and so many others has shown me the power of collective effort. Their stories of resilience and dedication are powerful reminders of what nurses can achieve.
I’ve come to realise how deeply connected we all are, despite the distances and the vastly different circumstances we face in our countries.
The Nursing Now Challenge has created a space where we uplift each other, celebrate each other’s victories, and push forward together, no matter the hurdles in our paths. For me, this platform is more than just a resource; it’s a lifeline, a source of strength, and a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a global nursing community. In moments when I’ve felt frustrated or lost, this platform has given me direction. It reminds me that nurses across the globe are fighting tirelessly to ensure our voices are heard, to integrate nurses into health system decision-making, and to raise the profile of our profession on a global scale.
