New Report by CAPS: Asian Philanthropy Positioned to Lead on Maternal and Child Health as Foreign Aid Retreats

Business Wire India

New research from the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) highlights how the withdrawal of United States and other overseas development assistance is threatening the impressive gains in reducing maternal and child mortality rates in Asia. The report, “Maternal and Child Health: How Asian Philanthropy Can Meet the Moment,” shows how domestic philanthropists, corporate foundations, and faith-based donors across China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines were already active in maternal child health even while international funding remained robust.

 

Hands-on, Government-Aligned Approaches: Key Findings

 

 

Over the past two decades, the region has seen dramatic improvements in maternal and newborn mortality rates. But funding from the United States, the top global donor for maternal child health, is being pulled back—dropping 84% in Indonesia and 28% in India between 2024-25, according to CAPS analysis of USAID data.

 

 

CAPS’ research, which included interviews with 50 philanthropists, companies, nonprofits and experts investing in or delivering maternal child health services in China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, shows that alongside dominant international players, domestic funders have been investing in the health of mothers and children in distinctive ways, including more hands-on, government-aligned approaches.

 

 

“The funding landscape is shifting and there is uncertainty about maintaining progress made on maternal and child health in Asia.” said Ruth Shapiro, Co-founder & CEO at CAPS. “But our research has found that domestic funders are already driving successful initiatives on the ground, bringing unique resources and know-how to the table, alongside critical capital. Asian philanthropy is well-positioned to meet the moment and to ensure that hard-won progress is not lost."

 

 

Success Stories: On-The-Ground, Community-Specific Initiatives are Working

 

 

The research finds that while overseas assistance has historically been a primary source of support, Asian philanthropists have been quietly investing in upskilling healthcare workers, supporting policy implementation and building the infrastructure to deliver services and essential medicines to mothers and children who need it.

 

 

• Domestic funders have backed initiatives to scale up healthcare worker capacity. For example, In India, the Piramal Foundation has deployed mentoring teams across rural Bihar to train auxiliary nurses, while Asian funders have supported the Children's Medical Foundation's "train the trainer" model for neonatal emergency care in rural China.
• Asian foundations are also supporting governments to deliver national MCH strategies. For instance, Zuellig Family Foundation builds leadership capacity among local officials—now implemented in over 1,500 municipalities across the Philippines. In Indonesia, Tanoto Foundation has supported the government's efforts to reduce stunting through several programs including “SIGAP”, which supports the central and regional governments to plan and budget for early childhood development policies and translate them into local practices. In India, Tata Trusts helps the government leverage technology for decision-making in maternal child health service delivery.
• Corporate philanthropy is drawing on business expertise to deliver essential services to remote areas. A case in point is Kimia Farma, an Indonesian pharmaceutical company, who partnered with Islamic philanthropy organization Dompet Dhuafa to launch the Indonesia Healthy Island Floating Clinic to reach mothers and children in remote island regions. In the Philippines, GT Foundation and others have worked with nonprofits to construct local health stations in rural areas to provide maternal services.

 

 

The report highlights how, beyond grant making, domestic donors are also rolling up their sleeves to bring their own insights and understanding of local nuances to bear, and calls on government, public health, and philanthropic leaders to work together by stressing the importance of investments for national development, linking maternal and child health to other donor priorities such as climate and gender equity, and building trust to facilitate longer-term financial commitments.

 

The full report is now available for download on the CAPS website.

 

 

About The Centre for Asian Philanthropy & Society (CAPS)

 

 

Established in 2013 and working across more than 17 markets in Asia, the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) is a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quantity and quality of philanthropic and private giving throughout Asia. Our mission is to maximize private capital for public good across Asia, conducting research, advisory, convening and capacity building to engage philanthropists, foundations, family offices, corporates, government bodies, social sector organizations and experts on best practices, models, policies and strategies to facilitate private giving and social investment in Asia. For more information visit www.caps.org and LinkedIn.

 

 

 

 

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