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Direct Relief Recognized as Action for Women’s Health Awardee for Expanding Global Maternal Care

News

Maternal Health

Midwives from the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union receive a Direct Relief Midwife Kit, which contains medical essentials to support safe births. (Photo by David Uttley for Direct Relief)
By Brea Burkholz

Direct Relief has been selected as an awardee of Action for Women’s Health, a $250 million global open call launched in 2024 to support organizations improving women’s mental and physical health around the world.

Although women account for half of the world’s population, persistent gaps in healthcare funding, research, and access leave many without essential care.

Direct Relief’s maternal and child health program equips midwives and frontline health workers with the tools, medicines, and supplies needed to ensure safer pregnancies and deliveries. Direct Relief provides midwife kits (each supporting 50 safe births) and perinatal health kits stocked with medications and tools needed to treat life-threatening conditions affecting women and newborns. Together, these resources enable midwives and healthcare professionals to deliver compassionate care in communities where 94% of maternal deaths occur.

In 2024 alone, Direct Relief delivered more than 1,000 maternal and child health kits to healthcare partners in 27 countries — resources that enabled more than 65,000 safe births, surgeries, and pregnancy interventions. With this award, the organization plans to expand access to these life-saving resources, aiming to distribute more than 6,000 midwife kits over the next three years, supporting approximately 300,000 safe deliveries.

“We are deeply honored to be selected as an awardee of Action for Women’s Health at such a pivotal moment,” said Amy Weaver, Chief Executive Officer at Direct Relief. “The need for high-quality care during pregnancy and childbirth is growing rapidly in underserved communities around the world. This recognition and support will enable Direct Relief to expand its work to reach more women, more midwives, and more health facilities with the tools needed to save lives. While this award provides a powerful boost, it also underscores just how much more must be done to ensure every woman and every newborn has the chance for a safe, healthy future.”

After a rigorous evaluation by experts and peers in global health — reviewing more than 4,000 applications from 119 countries — Direct Relief was selected as one of 80 awardees recognized for advancing maternal and child health.

Action for Women’s Health is funded by Pivotal, a group of impact organizations founded by Melinda French Gates, and managed by Lever for Change, an organization with a track record of identifying bold ideas to solve the world’s most pressing problems.

Building on this recognition, Direct Relief is accelerating the scale of its maternal and child health program to meet the rapidly growing demand for essential health services for women and newborns in the world’s most underserved communities. While this award marks a significant and meaningful step forward, it represents only a fraction of what is needed to address the vast and urgent gaps in maternal health access worldwide.

By deepening local partnerships, reinforcing supply chains, and equipping midwives with the tools they need to deliver lifesaving care, Direct Relief remains committed to advancing health equity and ensuring that every woman—no matter where she lives—has the chance for a safe birth and a healthy start for her child.

Learn more about Direct Relief’s global maternal health initiatives and how to support them.

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