Beginnings Fund Commits $90 Million to Advance Maternal and Newborn Care Across Ethiopia
A transformative partnership between the Beginnings Fund and the Federal Government of Ethiopia will strengthen healthcare infrastructure and expand access to quality maternal and newborn services across eight regions over the next five years.
The Beginnings Fund, a philanthropic initiative anchored by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, has unveiled an ambitious $90 million, five-year partnership with the Federal Government of Ethiopia, representing a significant commitment to advancing maternal and newborn health throughout the nation. This strategic collaboration aims to enhance access to quality care and substantially reduce preventable mortality amongst mothers and newborns across the country.
The partnership will extend its reach across eight regions and 210 health facilities, with a focus upon reinforcing healthcare workforces and equipping medical institutions with evidence-based interventions of proven efficacy. Through this comprehensive approach, the initiative seeks to deliver timely, quality care and strengthen Ethiopia’s capacity to sustain long-term health improvements.
In its structured investment, the Beginnings Fund has allocated $10 million through Ethiopia’s Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Compact, a government-led coordination mechanism designed to harmonise domestic and international donor financing towards maternal, newborn and child health services. This alignment with Ethiopia’s national health priorities ensures the partnership complements existing commitments and maximises impact across the healthcare system.
The launch ceremony, held in Addis Ababa, drew together distinguished participants including Abdalla Hassan Alshamsi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Ethiopia; Dr Mekdes Daba Feyssa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health; and Alice Kang’ethe, Chief Executive Officer of the Beginnings Fund. Dr Feyssa emphasised the partnership’s significance as a demonstration of coordinated commitment to strengthening Ethiopia’s maternal and newborn health infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to essential services.
The Beginnings Fund itself represents a $525 million philanthropic endeavour launched in Abu Dhabi in 2025, dedicated to working alongside African governments to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths. By 2031, the Fund aspires to expand access to quality care for 34 million mothers and babies across 10 African countries, with projections to prevent over 300,000 avoidable deaths. The initiative is supported by anchor donors including the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, the ELMA Foundation and the Gates Foundation.
Over its five-year tenure, this partnership will invest substantially in developing Ethiopia’s skilled maternal and newborn health workforce, broadening access to proven interventions and essential medicines, and enhancing infrastructure, data systems and emergency referral pathways. These coordinated investments are anticipated to contribute to preventing approximately 86,000 maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths by 2031 whilst fortifying the health system for enduring progress.
Ethiopia joins Kenya and Malawi as the third country to formalise a partnership with the Beginnings Fund, reflecting the initiative’s expanding commitment across the African continent during its first operational phase through 2031.
Source: WAM