Maternal Health Foundation
Maternal Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and supports treatment for obstetric fistula and childbirth injuries in Sub-Saharan Africa through partner hospitals in Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, training programs, and a 2:1 donation matching model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Maternal Health Foundation does
Maternal Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010-2011 and headquartered in San Jose, California. The organization addresses obstetric fistula and other severe childbirth injuries, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, through partnerships with local hospitals and treatment centers in Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. Over the period 2013-2022, the foundation invested approximately $5.8 million, directing 92% of expenditures directly to program activities, and has cumulatively treated more than 60,000 women across its clinical network. Key named clinical and academic partners include the Mercy Fistula Center in Ghana, Terrewode Women's Community Hospital in Uganda, and Mekelle University in Ethiopia.
The foundation operates a 2:1 matching donation model that leverages contributions from private foundations to scale program funding, and it has invested in workforce development through a urogynecology fellowship established in partnership with Mekelle University. It also operates Desta Mender, a post-surgical reintegration program, signaling a model that extends beyond surgical intervention into long-term social recovery. The foundation employs between 11 and 50 staff and reports a Chief AI Officer on its board, although the operational role of AI in its clinical and training programs is not specified in available data. Notable clinical technology references include point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) as part of training and diagnostic capability at partner sites.
The foundation's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than fee-for-service. It works through a partner-hospital operating model, providing funding, training, technical assistance, and program oversight to local clinical operations rather than directly operating all treatment facilities itself. Revenue mechanics center on institutional matching grants supplemented by individual donor contributions, with program expansion tied to capital raised rather than patient billing.
Maternal Health Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Maternal Health Foundation
- Legal name
- Maternal Help Hope Fund
- Website
- https://maternalhealthfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Maternal Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and supports treatment for obstetric fistula and childbirth injuries in Sub-Saharan Africa through partner hospitals in Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, training programs, and a 2:1 donation matching model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Maternal Health Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maternal Healthcare Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)
Keywords
Where Maternal Health Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Maternal Health Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals via website (USD and EUR), mail, and fundraising events. Monthly giving option available. For every $1 in public donations, MHF receives $2 from private foundations through matching programs.
- Private Foundation Grants: Major funding from private foundations that provide 2:1 matching for public donations. Between 2013-2022, invested $5.8M USD with 65% in capital spending for infrastructure and human capital development.
- Fistula Foundation Funding: Operational funding from Fistula Foundation for surgeries at Mercy Fistula Center based on meeting performance targets and patient outcomes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | USD Donation Options |
| Other | Monthly | EUR Donation Options |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Maternal Health Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Maternal Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free surgical treatment, prevention programs, and reintegration support for women suffering from obstetric fistula and other childbirth injuries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization operates a Holistic Model of Care combining prevention and education, surgical treatment at partner hospitals, and post-treatment reintegration services across Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone.
Product overview
Maternal Health Foundation operates a Holistic Model of Care comprising Prevention & Education, Treatment, and Reintegration services to treat and prevent obstetric fistula and childbirth injuries across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Treatment pillar includes Mercy Fistula Center in Ghana and Terrewode Women's Community Hospital in Uganda as primary treatment facilities. Prevention services are delivered through facilities like Bushulo MNCH-SC and March 8 MNCH-SC in Ethiopia, plus the Hub-and-Spoke model in Sierra Leone. The Reintegration program centers on Desta Mender rehabilitation village. An Urogynecology Fellowship Program trains African surgeons. The organization also produces educational films including FISTULA and Labor of Love. All components work together to provide end-to-end maternal health services from prevention through surgical treatment to community reintegration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Holistic Model of Care
Quantifiable outcome
- 60,000+ women treated for fistula
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Maternal Health Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Maternal Health Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Maternal Health Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Terrewode Women's FundcoreOregon-based NGO dedicated to supporting the operation of Terrewode Women's Community Hospital in Uganda. MHF invested nearly $3 million to build, equip, train, and sustain this facility.
- Fistula e.V.coreGerman NGO promoting maternal health and women's rights in Africa with vision of world without maternal death, childbirth injuries and obstetric fistula.
- Water to ThriveminorTransforms lives in rural Africa by bringing clean, safe water. In 12 years, funded nearly 1,200 wells serving over half a million people. Supports maternal health infrastructure.
- Mekelle University College of Health SciencescoreAccredited urogynecology fellowship program partner. First urogynecology training program in Ethiopia, training doctors in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.
- Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) - Footsteps to HealingcoreUS-certified urogynecologists recruited to conduct training and classes for Ethiopia fellowship program. Provides faculty support including Dr. Karen Gold.
- Worldwide Fistula FundcorePartner in urogynecology fellowship initiative alongside Mekelle University and OHSU to introduce discipline of urogynecology in Ethiopia.
- Maternal Health Africa (MHA)coreOperational partner in Sierra Leone implementing grassroots hub-and-spoke model. Three years of experience applying model in rural Sierra Leone with TeenSafer Campus in Makeni.
- Hamlin Fistula EthiopiacoreHistorical partnership with pioneering doctors Reginald and Catherine Hamlin. MHF began as Hamlin Fistula USA in 2010. Supported Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and fistula surgeons training.
- Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (Accra, Ghana)coreMercy Fistula Center operates as an annex teaching facility under Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana's national referral center.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Maternal Health Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EngenderHealth: EngenderHealth is a global nonprofit focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including fistula prevention and treatment programming in Africa and Asia. Overlaps with MHF on fistula clinical work while operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Every Mother Counts: Founded by Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts is a much larger and better-funded maternal health nonprofit focused on making pregnancy and childbirth safe globally. While broader in scope (not fistula-specific), it competes for the same donor audience and operates in overlapping geographies including Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Direct Relief: Direct Relief is a major humanitarian medical aid organization headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, that supports maternal and child health programs globally including in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a much larger organization that overlaps with MHF on maternal health supply chains and facility support.
- Partners In Health: Partners In Health operates comprehensive health systems in low-income countries including Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and Malawi, with maternal health as a core service line. Much larger than MHF, PIH serves overlapping populations and geographies with a broader clinical mandate.
- White Ribbon Alliance: White Ribbon Alliance is a global advocacy coalition promoting maternal and newborn health, with national alliances in several Sub-Saharan African countries overlapping with MHF's geographies. It operates upstream (policy/advocacy) versus MHF's downstream (clinical/prevention) work, but competes for similar institutional donor funding.
Direct peers
- Fistula Foundation: Fistula Foundation is the most direct peer: a San Jose-based nonprofit that funds obstetric fistula treatment globally, including providing operational funding to MHF's Mercy Fistula Center on a performance basis. They share mission, beneficiary population, geography (Sub-Saharan Africa), and even overlapping board networks.
- Worldwide Fistula Fund: Worldwide Fistula Fund is a direct partner in MHF's urogynecology fellowship initiative alongside Mekelle University and OHSU. Both organizations focus exclusively on obstetric fistula prevention and treatment, share donor pools, and collaborate on training programs.
- Fistula e.V. Fistula e.V. is a German NGO promoting maternal health and women's rights in Africa with a vision of ending maternal death and obstetric fistula — listed as a core strategic partner of MHF. They share mission, beneficiary base, and operate in overlapping African geographies.
- Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia: Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is the pioneering Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital founded by Drs. Reginald and Catherine Hamlin — MHF originated as 'Hamlin Fistula USA' in 2010/2011 to support their work before rebranding. They share clinical model, founder heritage, and patient population, with Hamlin operating the larger and more established Ethiopian treatment network.
- Terrewode Women's Fund: Terrewode Women's Fund is an Oregon-based NGO that supports Terrewode Women's Community Hospital in Uganda — MHF invested nearly $3M to build and sustain this facility. They share mission, geography, and beneficiary population, operating as a co-funder for the same hospital.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Maternal Health Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceMaternal Health Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Maternal Health Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Maternal Health Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Maternal Health Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Maternal Health Foundation
What does Maternal Health Foundation do?
Maternal Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free surgical treatment, prevention programs, and reintegration support for women suffering from obstetric fistula and other childbirth injuries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization operates a Holistic Model of Care combining prevention and education, surgical treatment at partner hospitals, and post-treatment reintegration services across Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone.
Is Maternal Health Foundation a public or private company?
Maternal Health Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Maternal Health Foundation founded?
Maternal Health Foundation was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Maternal Health Foundation based?
Maternal Health Foundation is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does Maternal Health Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are private Foundation Grants and fistula Foundation Funding.
Who are Maternal Health Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EngenderHealth, Every Mother Counts, Direct Relief, Partners In Health and White Ribbon Alliance. Direct peers are Fistula Foundation, Worldwide Fistula Fund, Fistula e.V., Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia and Terrewode Women's Fund.
Does Maternal Health Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Maternal Health Foundation.
What industry is Maternal Health Foundation in?
Maternal Health Foundation's product category is Maternal Healthcare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAF, Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGACAI, Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8050.