One of the grant winners is Lifeboox, a global nonprofit that saves lives through safer surgery and anaesthesia.
More than 80 organisations, including some
based in Africa, have been awarded as part of a US$250 million “Action for
Women’s Health” initiative aimed at improving women’s physical and mental
health around the world.
The grants, ranging from US$1 million to US$5 million, were selected from over 4,000 applicants across 119 countries.
The funding is provided by Pivotal, a philanthropy group founded by Melinda French Gates and managed by Lever for Change.
One of the grant winners is Lifebox, a global nonprofit that saves lives through safer surgery and anaesthesia.
Unsafe surgery remains a significant but under-resourced threat in global health.
According to Lifebox, more than four million people die each year within 30 days of surgery.
“Every year, more than four million people die following surgery. Unsafe surgery is one of the most urgent and solvable challenges in global health, especially for women,” said Dr Tihitena Negussie Mammo, Lifebox’s Global Clinical Director. “At Lifebox, we’ve reduced postoperative complications and deaths, including those following cesarean section, by up to 40 per cent. Strengthening surgical safety for women saves lives today and builds the foundation for healthier families and societies.”
Cesarean section (C-section) surgery is a major focus, because it is the most common operation in many low- and middle-income countries and contributes significantly to maternal mortality when safety standards are not met.
According to the World Health Organization, surgical site infections (SSIs) affect up to 20 per cent of women who undergo C-sections in parts of Africa.
Rates of SSIs following C-sections vary globally. Research in Ethiopia shows a pooled infection rate of over 12 per cent. Such infections not only endanger lives but also strain health systems already under pressure.
Lifebox’s “Clean Cut for Cesarean Section (CS)” programme aims to reduce infections by improving adherence to six critical infection-prevention standards in operating theatres.
The majority of the grantees are community-based groups that historically have lacked access to large philanthropic streams.
They include Tiko, an African organisation working to protect adolescent girls across the continent from unintended pregnancy, HIV, and gender-based violence; the grant will help Tiko expand its integrated health services, including SGBV prevention and recovery.
Another grantee is the Population Council, whose Centre for Biomedical Research will use the funding to advance development of sexual and reproductive health products, such as contraception and HIV prevention tools.
Also among the awardees is The HOME Project, which supports unaccompanied refugee girls and teenage mothers in Greece with comprehensive care - from mental health to legal assistance - and has run shelters in Athens since 2016.
Pivotal was founded by Melinda French Gates in 2015 and works to advance social progress and expand women’s power and influence globally.
Its mission spans high-impact investments, philanthropy, partnerships, and advocacy, targeting structural barriers that limit women’s health, economic participation, and leadership. In May 2024, Melinda French Gates announced a US$1 billion commitment through Pivotal to “advance women’s power worldwide.”
To deliver on that commitment, Pivotal launched the Action for Women’s Health, a US$250 million global open call to fund organisations working on women’s mental and physical health.
