11 Maternal Health Organizations to Support This Year

Maternal mortality continues to be a major problem the world over. The United States is the only developed country where maternal death rates are increasing especially for non-Hispanic black women. And in low-and-middle income countries, approximately 830 women die each day from pregnancy-related, preventable causes.

Maternal health organizations are working diligently to save more mothers’ lives, but one death is still too many especially when it is likely preventable. I like to list organizations that you can support with donations in order to help them keep more women and their children alive on the local level and make sure mothers are a part of their families’ lives.

This list highlights local organizations that help some of the most vulnerable communities in countries with some of the highest maternal mortality rates. And, in the cases of the United States and Australia, the organizations help the communities that experience the most maternal deaths. Each site allows direct donations that go directly to maternal care and/or advocacy.

The Aminata Maternal Foundation (Sierra Leone) – Supporting and providing maternal care to women in Sierra Leone. DONATE.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance (United States) – Black Mamas Matter Alliance is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance. They center Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice. DONATE.
Jacaranda Health (Kenya) – Jacaranda Health aims to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women and newborns by transforming maternity care in East Africa. They build private maternity clinics in peri-urban areas and are innovating to provide patient-centered care that combines quality and affordability. DONATE.
Lowitja Institute (Australia) – Lowitja Institute is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organization working for the health and wellbeing of Australia’s First Peoples through high impact quality research, knowledge translation, and by supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers. DONATE.
Mama na Mtoto (Tanzania) – Mama na Mtoto (‘mother and child’ in Swahili) is an initiative between Tanzanian, Ugandan and Canadian partners that strive to improve maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) in rural Tanzania. DONATE.
MamaYe Evidence for Action (sub-Saharan Africa) – E4A contributes to saving the lives of mothers and babies through a strategic combination of evidence, action, and accountability.
Maternidad La Luz: (United States) – Maternidad La Luz is a community-based, Texas state-licensed birth center and a Texas Department of State Health Services approved midwifery school, accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) with probationary status until February 28, 2021. Based in El Paso, the center provides a warm, welcoming, homelike atmosphere for birthing women in Western Texas, Southern New Mexico, and Mexico. DONATE.
Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming (United States) – The Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming, a Native American Indian organization based in Minnesota, is committed to community-centered holistic care for all pregnant and birthing mothers, and their families. Services will be delivered by knowledgeable, respectful and compassionate caregivers while honoring the wisdom that exists in all cultures for the celebration of birth. DONATE.
Midwifery Society of Nepal (Nepal) – Midwifery Society of Nepal (MIDSON) is the national professional forum for midwives in Nepal. DONATE.
Midwives for Haiti (Haiti) – Midwives for Haiti has a vision that pregnancy and childbirth are safe for mothers and babies in Haiti. Their vision is to increase access to skilled maternity care in Haiti. DONATE.
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (Nigeria) -The Wellbeing Group delivers Nigerian priorities to the global stage to symbiotically advocate on a local level for global priorities. Prosperous continuums of care and counsel are self-sustaining: healthy mothers make for healthy babies, which has a ripple effect on the health of the nuclear family to the community at large, and ultimately transforms the health of nations, continents, and the world.