The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, in partnership with a coalition of global philanthropic organizations, has launched a major new initiative, the Beginnings Fund, to accelerate maternal and newborn survival across Africa. The Fund aims to prevent over 300,000 deaths and enhance access to quality healthcare for 34 million mothers and babies by the year 2030.
Unveiled on April 29, 2025, at Kanad Hospital in Al Ain, the first modern hospital in Abu Dhabi, the launch marks a historic commitment to maternal and newborn health, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the burden remains disproportionately high.
“Through the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, we are honored to support the Beginnings Fund in giving more mothers and children the opportunity of a healthy start,” said His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“In the earliest days of the UAE, our nation faced high maternal and newborn mortality rates. This journey taught us the profound importance of quality healthcare that is available to all, at every stage of life, and this knowledge continues to guide us today. Through this partnership, we further our dedication to working hand-in-hand with governments and partners to build a healthier, more hopeful future for generations to come.”
The Beginnings Fund is underpinned by a joint philanthropic commitment of nearly $600 million, including $100 million in direct funding to advance the Fund’s mission. A $125 million grant from the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity served as the catalyst, unlocking matched contributions from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Delta Philanthropies, The ELMA Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Additional support has come from the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Patchwork Collective, and others.
The Fund will operate over the next five years in up to ten African countries—Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. It will channel multi-year investments into improving the products, people, and systems that underpin maternal and newborn care, with a focus on high-burden hospitals and health centers where most preventable deaths occur.
“The world has made real progress on reducing the number of maternal and child deaths in the last two decades, thanks to dedicated health workers and governments, backed by investment and technical know-how,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “But still, every seven seconds, a mother or baby dies a preventable death. We welcome the launch of the Beginnings Fund and look forward to working closely with all those involved to end these preventable tragedies.”
Despite advances, maternal and newborn health remains one of the most addressable yet underfunded areas in global health. In sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of maternal deaths and the majority of newborn deaths in the first month of life, now the single largest driver of child mortality, are both preventable with skilled care and timely intervention.
Without transformative action, the region is projected to continue experiencing 182,000 maternal deaths, 1.2 million newborn deaths, and nearly 950,000 stillbirths annually.
“Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent,” emphasized H.E. Dr Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health for Ethiopia. “We all have a shared responsibility to build resilient and well-resourced health systems that can safeguard the lives 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.”
To address these challenges, the Fund will invest in training health workers, equipping facilities, enhancing data systems, and scaling up proven, low-cost, evidence-based interventions. These efforts will be aligned with national health priorities and executed in collaboration with country-level implementation partners.
Sir Chris Hohn, Founder and Chair of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, underscored the moral urgency behind the initiative: “Working with African governments, the Beginnings Fund will have a profound impact, giving millions of children a healthy start in life. However, this should only be the beginning. To achieve its ambitious targets for 2030, the Beginnings Fund will need more global funders and philanthropists to step up. Most importantly, it will need to work hand in hand with the government to increase funding and improve the delivery of life-saving interventions to ensure African mothers and children survive and thrive.”
The initiative also reflects a growing wave of collaboration across philanthropy, governments, and civil society to tackle long-standing health inequities.
“Never have we witnessed such a concerted effort by donors, national governments, and other partners in collaborating to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Africa,” said Tanya Masiyiwa, President and CEO of Delta Philanthropies. “As Delta Philanthropies, we have seen firsthand how collective investments drive real, transformative change. The Beginnings Fund will amplify our impact and save more lives. We hope that other African philanthropic organisations can join us on this important journey.”
Designed as a catalytic fund, the Beginnings Fund is intended to attract new donors and ensure sustainable, long-term support for maternal and newborn health. By harnessing innovations, empowering skilled health workers, and building stronger referral and data systems, the Fund aims to support African governments in giving every mother and newborn the chance at a healthy beginning.
