Midwives and doctors play a crucial role preventing unnecessary maternal deaths. They educate women about nutrition, health and family planning. And they step in when complications arise.

We can't end poverty if we fail to save the lives of our world's mothers.

Children with healthy mothers are much more likely to survive childhood, attend school and live healthy, productive lives.

Creative new health strategies like micro-insurance for poor people or Kangaroo care for pre-term babies are transforming health outcomes in even the most low-resource settings. Dedication and innovation are transforming health care worldwide.

In a hundred years, how do you want the world to be? Everybody should get together to make the world a better place.

I don't think we should judge celebrities for doing charity work. Period. Whatever their reasons for doing it, they are shedding light on issues that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Miriam Were has made outstanding contributions to public health in the developing world. She brings basic medical services to women and children in East Africa.