NEW YORK CITY, Sep 21 – The 2023 Changemaker Award, celebrating individuals who inspire change through personal experience or leadership, was awarded to Ashu Martha Agbornyenty for her remarkable work in reducing high maternal mortality rates in Cameroon.
Goalkeepers Global Goals Award by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recognizes the contributions of remarkable leaders working in their communities and around the world to advance progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Agbornyenty’s efforts extend far beyond recognition; she embodies the change she seeks to create. As a 24-year-old midwife and advocate for maternal and newborn child health from Cameroon, she has relentlessly addressed her country’s alarmingly high maternal mortality rates.
Statistics as of September 2023 show that Cameroon’s maternal mortality rate is high at 438 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, with 33% of the deliveries handled at home by unskilled helpers.
And so Agbornyenty Foundation, For Mom and Baby, has been able to reach 2,000 people nationwide through workshops where it distributes emergency kits to pregnant women in crisis-stricken areas since 2001.
“Midwifery should be taken seriously just like nurses are. They need more training because they deliver lives and they save lives,” the registered midwife in Cameroon, as well as an author and blogger at Marthie’s Midwifery Diary told journalists attending this year’s annual Goalkeepers award by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in New York this week.
The awards ceremony took place during UN General Assembly week on the evening of September 19 and was followed by a daytime event to discuss current and future efforts to achieve Global Goals through concrete action and new approaches to development finance.
Participants included Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, who was also awarded, President William Ruto of Kenya, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, hosts Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates as well as more than 400 young changemakers from around the world.
In a country where many women suffer maternal health complications, particularly after the political crisis, Agbornyenty’s efforts have positively impacted over 1,400 individuals. Her blog, “Marthie’s Midwifery Diary,” has engaged with over 2,000 people nationwide.
“In my country, the political crisis has affected many women and children. Pregnant mothers suffer a lot, and that’s why midwives are important,” she said, “We are not talking about midwives to just deliver babies; we ensure they walk with the pregnant mothers all through the journey.”
Agbornyenty emphasized the urgency of training and retaining more midwives in Cameroon. “We are actively advocating for greater autonomy for midwives to enhance their role in maternal and child healthcare.”
“Why are nurses given more opportunities even in training than midwives?”, she posed, while explaining why “I am very passionate about midwives. I have seen what they can do. I am urging governments to come up with policies that support their work.”
In her interview, she shared her dream, saying, “It’s puzzling to see more opportunities for nurses while midwives, who play a crucial role, often get overlooked.” She aspires to see midwives receive the respect and support they deserve in society.
Upon receiving the award, Agbornyenty expressed her gratitude, stating, “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of midwives around the world who are working to improve the health of mothers and babies. It is also a validation of my passion for helping women and children, and my commitment to making a difference in the world.”
Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation told journalists that the world is off track in achieving the SDG’s.
“Halfway to the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, our annual Goalkeepers Report shows that on 18 indicators—from poverty to gender equality, education to food security, health to climate— the world is off track,” he said.
“But we also see where innovation, investment, and the extraordinary work of passionate changemakers around the world have the potential to turn the tide, saving the lives of 2 million mothers and babies by 2030,” he said.
The award ceremony, hosted by Elaine Welteroth, an award-winning journalist, TV host, and author, was attended by over 400 guests from around the world. The event celebrated not only Agbornyenty’s outstanding achievements but also five other individuals and initiatives driving positive global change.
Eden Tadesse: Empowering Refugees Through Employment
Eden Tadesse, aged 26, from Ethiopia, received the 2023 Progress Award. Tadesse, a social entrepreneur and activist, has played a pivotal role in offering training and employment opportunities to thousands of refugees through her platform, Invicta.
“Our mission is to assist refugees in finding employment, and we provide a wide range of services, including technical skills training, business, and marketing support,” Tadesse explained. Her work has enabled over 1,800 refugees to secure job opportunities.
Tadesse founded the online platform Invicta, which promotes digital financial inclusion, skills development, and access to job opportunities for urban refugees. This platform has reached more than 35,000 people from 90 countries, with 7,000 completing online courses and over 2,200 refugees finding employment.
Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida: commitment to resilient, equitable, and sustainable universal health coverage.
The 2023 Global Goalkeeper Award, recognizing leaders driving progress toward achieving the Global Goals, was presented to Prime Minister Kishida, for his commitment to resilient, equitable, and sustainable universal health coverage. Kishida has also championed embedding the Global Goals in Japan’s development cooperation charter and strengthening global health architecture to prevent future pandemics.
The Farmlink Project: advocating for food equity in the United States
The 2023 Campaign Award was presented to The Farmlink Project, founded by Aidan Reilly, Ben Collier, and James Kanoff, for advocating for food equity in the United States.
This project, with its network of more than 600 student fellows and 6,000 volunteers, has provided 83 million meals and transferred over 130 million pounds of nutritious food to communities facing hunger.
Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter: extraordinary work in disease eradication.
The Goalkeepers Lifetime Achievement Award honored former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter for their extraordinary work in disease eradication, mental health, democracy, conflict resolution, human rights, and combating neglected tropical diseases.
Bono, founder of the ONE Campaign and (RED): impact on SDG progress through advocacy and campaigning.
The Goalkeepers Voice Award was presented to Bono, founder of the ONE Campaign and (RED), for his significant impact on SDG progress through advocacy and campaigning.
Bill and Melinda Gates said these remarkable individuals and initiatives represent the spirit of positive change and progress, offering hope and inspiration to a world in need.
