Tragic Death of Italian Sister in Mogadishu!

SOS Children's Villages mourns the tragic death of Italian Sister Leonella Sgorbati and her bodyguard in the Somali capital.

Gunmen in Mogadishu shot Italian Sister Leonella Sgorbati and her bodyguard dead at noon last 17 September 2006.

The Italian Sister aged 66, was responsible for setting up operation of the nursing school at SOS Hospital in the Somali capital, which is the only hospital with a functioning maternity ward and gynecological care facility in Somalia. Following her wish, her body was brought to Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, where she will be buried later this week.

Helmut Kutin, president of SOS Children's Villages said "The worldwide family of SOS Children's Villages deeply mourns the death of Sister Leonella Sgorbati, who dedicated her life to carrying out humanitarian and development work in Africa. For the past four years and in spite of the dangerous situation in Somalia, Sister Leonella worked tirelessly in the setting up and operating the nursing school of SOS Children's Villages in Mogadishu, which offered you people the opportunity to complete a nursing course."

"The entire SOS Children's Villages family feels the pain of this tragic loss, and our deep condolences go to Sister Leonella's family, to all the Sisters in her Order and her many colleagues and friends at SOS Children's Villages in Mogadishu."

Three Italian nuns working on a voluntary basis for the international children's welfare organization in Mogadishu were immediately evacuated from Somalia on Sunday evening by Willy Huber, the regional director of SOS Children's Villages for East Africa, SOS said.

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