In 2012 Dr. Reta Graham travelled to Tanzania for the first time and was privileged to work with local health providers in a labor and delivery unit at a district-level hospital.

Her experiences caring for women in the hospital were a stark reminder that pregnancy and childbirth are often life-threatening events for those living in areas where resources are limited.

In fact, in many low and lower middle-income countries, pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death in women of reproductive age.  Fragile health systems are struggling to care for women, most acutely among resource-limited countries serving the poorest women.  In Tanzania alone, 1 woman dies every single hour due to complications of pregnancy or childbirth.

In response to this, Drs. Jeff and Reta Graham co-founded MAMA MAISHA.  In collaboration with in-country stakeholders, MAMA MAISHA began in 2013 as the first Safe Motherhood Intervention Project of its kind in the region.  Today, it serves thousands of women and their families each year in the Mara and Simiyu regions of Tanzania, with direct outreach to 10 rural villages.

Reta Graham, MD
President & Co-Founder