A new $500 million initiative, the Beginnings Fund, has been launched in Abu Dhabi to address the high rates of maternal and newborn mortality across sub-Saharan Africa.
Spearheaded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the fund aims to prevent over 300,000 deaths and improve healthcare access for 34 million mothers and babies by 2030.
Announced at a high-level summit, the fund comes as global aid for maternal health declines, with the number of international donors in the sector halving over the past decade. The Beginnings Fund intends to reverse this trend by financing proven, cost-effective interventions in hospitals across ten African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Uganda.
“These deaths are preventable,” said Dr Mekdes Daba, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health.
“Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we already know how to treat.”
The fund will focus on common complications such as severe bleeding, infections, and breathing difficulties among newborns. Support will include improving basic clinical infrastructure, training frontline health workers, and providing life-saving supplies in high-burden hospitals.
Tala Al Ramahi, a board member of the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation, drew a parallel with the UAE’s own maternal health history. “Two generations ago, women in the UAE died during childbirth, and more than half of children did not survive past childhood,” she said.
“It is possible to turn things around, and this fund is part of that mission.”
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Alice Kang’ethe, CEO of the Beginnings Fund, said the initiative is designed to work collaboratively with African governments and institutions.
“It’s not about telling countries what to do. It’s about supporting their plans and investing where it matters most,” she noted.
In addition to the $500 million fund, an extra $100 million has been pledged by philanthropic partners for complementary investments. The fund’s secretariat will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and will be supported by organisations including the ELMA Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.
“We are proud to partner with visionary African leaders on this initiative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“This fund represents our shared commitment to saving lives and giving every child the chance to thrive.”
The Beginnings Fund marks a major step in Africa’s efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal and child mortality by 2030.
