Two respiratory therapists had a problem. Both wearers of the hijab, they struggledto keep their patients safe from outside germs while also covering their heads.
Many nurses would bring multiple coverings to work to change between patients. With no personal protective equipment available for Muslim health care workers, they had little choice.
Knowing something had to change, Firaoli Adam and Yasmin Samatar created a product that will support Muslim women in medicine for years to come.
They launched Mawadda in 2022, creating the “Hygienic Hijab” with a patented and FDA-compliant design. Manufactured in the United States, the product clears safety and Hijabi religious standards. According to the product website, it is breathable with a snug fit and slips right on.
First meeting while studying respiratory care at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, Adam told CBS News that Samatar “didn’t know it yet, but she was going to be my best friend.”
Both first-generation students, the two women had similar goals and experienced similar struggles in their chosen field, they told CBS News, especially as travel nurses across the country.
Hospitals “had a beard cover. We looked at each other like, ‘They have a beard cover even? Why not a hijab cover? Something has to be out there,’” Adam told CBS.
Samatar’s and Adam’s main goal in creating Mawadda was to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in hospitals around the country, allowing more Muslim women to work in these fields comfortably.
“Bringing to market work attire that meets both safety and cultural requirements,” the product website states, “will dramatically improve workplace conditions, productivity, and health outcomes.”
The Hygienic Hijab comes in two styles, pullover or wrap, both in packs of 10.
In the future, Mawadda plans to launch a line of scrubs with modesty in mind, including skirts and dresses, Samatar and Adam told CBS.
“Having the hijab there, you are telling a Muslim woman you are supported in this hospital and your voice and presence is valued, that sort of empowers you,” Samatar said.
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