‘Beginnings Fund’ launched to boost maternal and newborn survival in Africa

Addis Ababa, April 29, 2025 (FMC) – The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity and its partners have launched the Beginnings Fund, a landmark initiative aiming to improve maternal and newborn survival across Africa.

The launch ceremony was held at Kanad Hospital in Al Ain, UAE, and attended by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, other UAE ministers, and health ministers from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zanzibar.

The Fund aims to prevent over 300,000 maternal and newborn deaths and improve healthcare access for 34 million mothers and babies by 2030. It forms part of a joint $600 million philanthropic commitment, with $100 million in direct support for related initiatives. A $125 million grant from the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation unlocked matched funding from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, ELMA Foundation, Gates Foundation, and others.

Partners from up to ten African countries—including Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Rwanda—will implement the initiative, according to a report by Emirates News Agency (WAM). The Fund will focus on strengthening healthcare workforces, equipping facilities, and delivering low-cost, evidence-based interventions.

Speaking at the launch event in Abu Dhabi, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Mekdes Daba, stressed the shared responsibility of governments to build resilient healthcare systems. “Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent. We all have a shared responsibility to build resilient and well-resourced health systems that can safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn. With the right investments and innovations, countries around the world have succeeded in transforming maternal and newborn care. There is no reason that we cannot do the same.”

Robyn Calder of ELMA and Mark Suzman of the Gates Foundation underlined the need for sustainable investment and equitable access to lifesaving innovations.

Sheikh Theyab emphasized the UAE’s historical experience with maternal health and its commitment to improving global outcomes. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom welcomed the initiative, noting that maternal and newborn deaths—most of them preventable—remain a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa.

Alice Kang’ethe, CEO of the Beginnings Fund, hailed the role of African governments and partners in driving progress and called for continued collaboration to deliver lasting change.