Young Champions of
Maternal Health, 2009-2010

The Young Champions of Maternal Health Program, started in 2009, is the first-ever international fellowship to focus specifically on supporting a new generation of global leaders dedicated to improving maternal health.

The MHTF organized the first cohort of Young Champions of Maternal Health in partnership with Ashoka, a global organization that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs.  Fifteen individuals were selected from 13 countries, including India, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Iran. Each Young Champion was paired with a mentor, and together they designed a project focused on a specific maternal health challenge. The Young Champions had the opportunity to deal first-hand with the challenges of devising new solutions and implementing them in low-resource settings.

Find out more about the first cohort of Young Champions:

• Anna Dion (Canada) with Ashoka Fellow Alberto Vázquez (Argentina)
• Carolina Damásio (Brazil) with Ashoka Fellow Jacqueline Goïta (Mali)
• Egwaoje Ifeyinwa Madu (Nigeria) with Ashoka Fellow Kathryn Hall-Trujillo (USA)
• Faatimaa Ahmadi (Iran) with Ashoka Fellow Rita Sembuya (Uganda)
• Faisal Siraj (Pakistan) with Ashoka Fellow Lucy Attah Auwalu (Nigeria)
• Hellen Mammeja Kotlolo (South Africa) with Ashoka Fellow Indu Capoor (India)
• Julianne Parker (USA) with Ashoka Fellow Raquel da Silva Barros (Brazil)
• María Laura Casalegno (Argentina) with Ashoka Fellow Haywood Hall (Mexico) 
• Martha Fikre Adenew (Ethiopia) with Ashoka Fellow Kathryn Hall-Trujillo (USA)
• Onikepe Oluwadamilola Owolabi (Nigeria) with Ashoka Fellow Armida Fernandez (India)
• Peris Wakesho (Kenya) with Ashoka Fellow Dorothy Aken'ova (Nigeria)
• Sara Al-Lamki (Oman) with Ashoka Fellow Luh Putu Upadisari (Indonesia)
• Seth Cochran (USA) with Ashoka Fellow Andrés Martínez Fernández (Spain)
• Yeabsira Mehari (Ethiopia) with Ashoka Fellow Glory Alexander (India)
• Zubaida Bai (India) with Ashoka Fellow Rebecca Onie (USA)