Maternal and Adolescent Health
Investing in mothers and adolescents to build healthier communities for generations to come.
Through community-driven, integrated solutions, we aim to equip women and girls with the knowledge, care and support they need to lead healthier lives, creating long-term impact for future generations.
Poor maternal and adolescent health fuels cycles of poverty, inequality and preventable deaths. Poor healthcare access, gender inequality and climate change continue to put mothers and girls at risk, with 2 million newborn deaths annually and nearly half of all under-five deaths occurring in the neonatal period.
Key barriers include:
Poor infrastructure: Limited access to quality maternal care, increasing risks for both mother and child.
Maternal malnutrition: Malnourished mothers often pass this on to their children, leading to low birth weight, developmental issues and higher child mortality rates.
Ineffective Education: Adolescent barriers to nutrition, reproductive health education and healthcare, limiting their ability to make informed choices.
Climate change: Rising temperatures, water scarcity and food insecurity disproportionately affect women and girls.
Our Approach
We address maternal and adolescent health by combining our core approaches to improve health outcomes, leading to strong, resilient communities.
Evidence for Scale
We build evidence to scale what works in real-world settings. We tested menstrual hygiene rooms in schools, and before we even finished evaluating them, nearby schools began replicating the idea.
Integrated Approach
Child health cannot be improved in isolation. That’s why we integrate maternal and adolescent care alongside water and nutrition. Local health workers offer postnatal care alongside tailored nutrition advice, and schools provide both adolescent health services and student-run vegetable gardens.
System Strengthening
We strengthen community-led systems that connect people to the care they need. We help pregnant women access government safety nets and support schools in creating safe, private spaces for menstrual hygiene.
Market Systems
We improve access to care by supporting local markets. We train women entrepreneurs, who promote healthy practices. They also sell sanitary napkins and provide basic check-ups, and improve access to finance so they can expand their services.
We are committed to working collaboratively with communities, governments, and other partners to not only address today’s challenges but to also strengthen local systems, ensuring lasting access to essential information and services. By taking a holistic, integrated approach to Maternal and Adolescent Health, we’re creating stronger systems which ensure children thrive today and for generations to come.
Our Impact
