History

Women’s World Health Initiative was born out of a passion to help women survive childbirth.

In 2007, while in medical school, WWHI founder Dana Allison traveled to Thailand with the UN Refugee Agency and witnessed the devastating impact on a community when a mother dies during pregnancy and childbirth. Especially heartbreaking was the fact that so many of these deaths were unnecessary. She saw that motherless children were essentially orphans, as fathers generally don’t become caretakers. Many of these children are given to relatives or sold in the sex slave trade. Without a mother, they have a 14 times higher rate of dying before reaching their first birthday.
 
Ms. Allison began researching ways to reduce maternal mortality so that children can benefit from their mother's care. Her research led her to understand the correlated risk factors that lead to increased maternal mortality rates. Women most at risk live in rural communities in developing countries where populations are largely uneducated. Early marriage and lack of trained birth attendants also add to high mortality rates.
 
While presenting her findings at a global health conference, she met Dr. Youssoupha Ndiaye, a native of Senegal, and traveled to his country. Dr. Ndiaye and Ms. Allison collaboratively developed a plan to decrease maternal and infant mortality rates in rural Senegal. They continue to work with other Senegalese physicians, such as Dr. Aziz Kasse, to develop preventative methods that help save the lives of women, and foster community growth.
 
WWHI, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing maternal and infant mortality in vulnerable populations, was founded in June 2008 by Dana Allison. Since its inception, WWHI has grown quickly in public support and is now in full operation with a was fully operation with a staff of dedicated volunteers.