Maternal Health Foundation

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.

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

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 industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAF

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGACAI

Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYHLAJAKAG

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYHLAJALAG

Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Funding, Grants & Program Administration

Keywords

• Maternal health services
• Obstetric fistula treatment
• Childbirth injury prevention
• Nonprofit healthcare
• Surgical repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Fistula Foundation Funding: Operational funding from Fistula Foundation for surgeries at Mercy Fistula Center based on meeting performance targets and patient outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Terrewode Women's FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon-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.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman NGO promoting maternal health and women's rights in Africa with vision of world without maternal death, childbirth injuries and obstetric fistula.
• Water to ThriveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransforms 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 SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited 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 HealingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-certified urogynecologists recruited to conduct training and classes for Ethiopia fellowship program. Provides faculty support including Dr. Karen Gold.
• Worldwide Fistula FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in urogynecology fellowship initiative alongside Mekelle University and OHSU to introduce discipline of urogynecology in Ethiopia.
• Maternal Health Africa (MHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational 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 EthiopiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy 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

Broad 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maternal-health-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maternal Health Foundation