Mission

Our mission is to end all preventable deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth worldwide.

Our vision is to improve access to, and utilization of quality healthcare services to reduce the risk of maternal and neonatal mortality in remote rural areas where mothers and their newborns are most vulnerable.

What We Do

Our theory of change is based on direct partnership with local authorities and communities to create a continuum of care that will increase access to safe delivery options and encourage the adoption of healthy, culturally appropriate behaviors. What we strive for is lofty, incredibly difficult, and yet very simple: we believe all women and newborns should receive the quality healthcare services they deserve during pregnancy and childbirth, anytime and anyplace.

Maternal and perinatal mortality are key indicators for health and development. As such, OHW specializes in improving the access to, and the delivery of essential healthcare services in regions where the need is the greatest. We work in remote areas with the lowest human development indexes, where other organizations rarely operate. Pregnant women in these high-risk regions often have little to no access to appropriate medical care. In these areas, geographical and socio-cultural barriers, limited personal resources, lack of information, and inadequate healthcare services often prevent pregnant women from receiving the essential care they need to have a safe pregnancy and childbirth. OHW addresses these barriers by improving access to healthcare services in the world's hardest to reach places. We deliver results and drive systemic change, saving lives now and in the future.

The OHW "Network of Safety" model is uniquely positioned to overcome this gap. With our model, we are able to address the barriers that limit access to quality maternal and neonatal healthcare services at all levels of the existing local healthcare infrastructure.

Our community-based programs build a network of properly equipped and staffed health facilities and train local healthcare providers to ensure quality maternal and newborn health care. The Network of Safety is based on the integration of local resources and a respect for cultural norms and practices. One Heart Worldwide does not believe in establishing a parallel system but instead strives to strengthen existing governmental healthcare systems and local capacity. As a result, our model strives to align itself with local governmental priorities and policies, and is endorsed at the national, regional, and local level.

Our holistic approach is simple, effective, replicable, and sustainable. We improve access to healthcare services, ensuring the wellbeing of the most vulnerable pregnant women and newborns who may otherwise lack access to medical or public healthcare services. We develop solutions with local communities, providing them with the tools to become the drivers of innovation and systemic change and to be accountable for long-term progress and sustainability in their own communities.

The overall plan of action to implement the Network of Safety includes: 1 year of program set-up (phase 1), 3 years of full program implementation (phase 2), followed by 2 years of support and transition to the local government (phase 3). During these 6 years, OHW creates a self-sustaining Network of Safety for women and newborns, from the community to the referral hospital, and from pregnancy to the postnatal period. In collaboration with local government officials and community stakeholders, we build local capacity, expand the outreach of existing healthcare infrastructure, and improve government-supported health services. We provide health education to communities and health providers and integrate information technology into medical service provision. After the programs are fully implemented, they are transitioned to the local government.