For Mama Campaign Launches Fundraising Effort to End Today's Urgent - and Solvable - Maternal Mortality Crisis

During Ramadan, UK and North American faith-based charities rally support for Zakat-eligible cause to save the lives of mothers and babies worldwide.

LONDON, March 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Under the For Mama campaign, a coalition of 20+ charitable organizations and faith-based philanthropies have launched a fundraising effort to protect mothers and babies from preventable deaths. Anyone can donate by visiting actformama.org to provide mothers and babies with the care, tools, and resources they need to survive and thrive.

Childbirth can be one of the most dangerous days of a woman's life ? every two minutes a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. While the maternal health crisis affects women everywhere, women of color, women in low- and middle-income countries, and those living in humanitarian settings are especially vulnerable.

Nearly all of these deaths can be prevented with existing tools and access to consistent, quality care throughout pregnancy.

In response, For Mama partners have rallied together this Ramadan to encourage greater investments in maternal and newborn health.

"'For Mama' is the first-of-its-kind campaign mobilizing the Muslim community to advocate and prioritize giving to mothers' and babies' health. The power of the Muslim philanthropic community is tremendous and harnessing that collective power will transform lives in the US and globally." Isra Chaker, Campaign Lead, For Mama.

The campaign has received Zakat eligibility from globally recognized religious scholars.

"As a father and a Muslim, I know the central role mothers play within our families, our communities and our faith," said Shaykh Navaid Aziz, Director, Public Relations, Al-Maghrib Institute. "I hope the Muslim community sees maternal and newborn health as an important area for donations this Ramadan."

Donations made to For Mama will support maternal and newborn health programs across North America, the United Kingdom and globally.

To maximize impact, for every $3 USD raised by the campaign, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be donating an additional $1 USD ? up to $3,000,000 USD.

"No woman should die giving birth, and no child should grow up without a mother," said Alaa Murabit, the Director of Global Policy, Advocacy and Communications, Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Most maternal deaths can be prevented with quality care and interventions, such as maternal azithromycin, IV iron, and advanced postpartum hemorrhage drapes. We are proud to support the For Mama campaign to ensure that life-saving care, tools, and resources reach the mothers and babies who need them most."

Visit actformama.org/press to learn more and hear from our partner organizations.

About For Mama

For Mama aims to raise awareness of the high rates of maternal deaths worldwide. The campaign challenges us to think about what we can ? and should do? 'for mama' to ensure that life-saving interventions reach mothers and babies, whose needs and experiences are too often overlooked.

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