LONDON – In a major new effort to tackle maternal and newborn mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, a coalition of global philanthropies—led by the Gates Foundation and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity—has launched a US$500 million initiative known as the Beginnings Fund.
Announced on April 29 in Abu Dhabi, the fund aims to save 300,000 lives and improve care for over 34 million mothers and babies by 2030. The initiative marks a significant commitment to maternal and child health at a time when public funding for global aid is contracting, particularly in the wake of the United States scaling back its contributions.
Alice Kang’ethe, the fund’s CEO, emphasized the program’s collaborative model. “We’re not flying in solutions,” she said. “Our work is rooted in partnership with African governments, local experts and communities.”
The fund will initially focus on ten countries with high maternal and infant mortality rates: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Investments will prioritize high-impact, low-cost care in hospitals burdened by high patient volumes, with a focus on key causes of death such as sepsis, postpartum hemorrhage, and neonatal breathing difficulties.
In addition to the central fund, partners have pledged an extra US$100 million for direct investments in maternal and newborn health initiatives.
Tala Al Ramahi, a representative of the UAE’s Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation, highlighted the UAE’s own transformation in maternal and child health. “Just two generations ago, childbirth was often fatal here. The progress we’ve made will guide our work in Africa.”
Despite earlier global gains in reducing neonatal and maternal mortality—rates halved from 1990 to 2022—progress has recently stalled, according to the World Health Organization, which warned that declining aid could reverse previous improvements.
Ethiopian Health Minister Dr. Mekdes Daba reiterated the urgency: “The majority of these deaths are preventable. It’s unacceptable that women and babies continue to die from treatable conditions.”
Other funders include the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, and Elma Foundation. The initiative will be headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, reinforcing its commitment to locally anchored leadership.