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n a transformative collaboration, the George Washington University’s Institute for Corporate Responsibility has partnered with Nigerian actress and humanitarian Stephanie Linus and her Extended Hands Foundation to launch the Maternal Health and Nutrition Initiative Africa (MaHNIA). This initiative is designed to address pressing maternal health and nutrition challenges in marginalized African communities, focusing on empowering women and improving health outcomes.

“Safe motherhood and proper nutrition are not privileges; they are fundamental rights.” ~ Stephanie Linus

The partnership was officially launched after two screenings of Linus’s award-winning film, Dry, a powerful portrayal of a 13-year-old Nigerian child bride’s struggle with obstetric fistula. The film set the stage for an engaging panel discussion on maternal health, women’s rights, and the critical role of nutrition in enhancing healthcare systems in Africa. GW’s Global Food Institute and Global Women’s Institute co-hosted the event which included a powerful panel discussion.

Stephanie Linus, founder of the Extended Hands Foundation and advocate for women’s health, emphasized the need for holistic care. “Safe motherhood and proper nutrition are not privileges; they are fundamental rights,” she said. “Through MaHNIA, we aim to ensure that women in underserved communities not only survive childbirth but thrive afterward. This initiative combines healthcare and nutrition to create lasting solutions.”

Tara Scully, Director of Curriculum Development at GW’s Global Food Institute, highlighted the crucial role of nutrition in maternal care, saying, “When we talk about healthcare, we must also talk about nutrition. A mother’s nutritional status affects both her health and that of her child. By integrating nutrition education into healthcare, we can improve outcomes for generations to come.”

John J. Forrer, Director of GW’s Institute for Corporate Responsibility, stressed the importance of public-private partnerships in tackling healthcare challenges. “The private sector, working alongside public health institutions, can play a pivotal role in improving access to healthcare. Through collaboration, we can ensure that maternal health services reach those who need them most.”

Erin Mielke, Senior Technical Adviser for Reproductive Health at USAID, spoke about the increasing threat of unsafe medical practices, which are contributing to rising cases of obstetric fistula. “Unsafe cesarean deliveries and hysterectomies are becoming more prevalent, especially in low-resource settings,” she explained. “At USAID, we are addressing these challenges through a holistic approach that includes gender-based violence training, nutrition assessments, and physiotherapy.”

Professor Lauri J. Romanzi of Thomas Jefferson University also joined the panel, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen healthcare systems in Africa. “Fistula is entirely preventable. For every woman who survives a fistula, there are several others who die. Strengthening health systems can eliminate this entirely,” she said.

The event provided a platform for candid discussions about the importance of integrating nutrition into maternal health solutions. Universities possess a vast reservoir of knowledge that is often inaccessible. This collaboration, which will leverage expertise from across the GW community, aims to unlock that knowledge by developing a toolkit in partnership with colleagues in Nigeria, focusing on both research and community engagement. By adopting a community-based approach, we will ensure that the toolkit addresses the actual needs and supports meaningful change.

Stephanie Linus closed the discussion by highlighting her passion for using storytelling to drive social change. “My film Dry tells the story of just one girl, but her story represents millions of women who suffer in silence. Through this initiative, we are giving a voice to those women and providing real solutions,” she said.

The Maternal Health and Nutrition Initiative Africa is a pivotal step toward addressing the maternal health crisis across Africa. By combining healthcare services with nutrition support and community-driven solutions, the initiative seeks to create lasting change for women and children in underserved communities.