WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA) was recently named the 2012 Fast Company Innovation by Design Award winner in the ‘Service Design’ category. MAMA is a public-private partnership launched on Mothers’ Day last year by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The founding partners include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Johnson & Johnson, the mHealth Alliance, the United Nations Foundation and BabyCenter.

MAMA engages an innovative global community to deliver vital health information to new and expectant mothers through mobile phones.  The program has launched mobile phone services in Bangladesh and South Africa and has shared its adaptable health messages with over 70 organizations that aim to reach more than 20 million expectant and new moms in 35 countries from Afghanistan to Zambia. 

MAMA subscribers register for the service by indicating their expected due date or the birthday of their recently-born child, and receive weekly health messages and reminders during the pregnancy and up to the infant’s first birthday. By registering, subscribers receive timed messages which include important information on proper nutrition, newborn care, breastfeeding, immunizations, and connections to local health resources. 

Winners were chosen from more than 1,700 nominated organizations including Nike, Boeing, Ford, Leap Motion and other industry leaders.  MAMA was recognized for its unique focus on improving the lives of millions of new and expectant mothers in developing countries by delivering critical health information to their mobile phones. 

The Innovation by Design Competition awards “the year’s most inspiring, ingenious, and innovative design solutions.”  Submissions for the award were vetted by 27 independent and prominent judges, from Museum of Modern Art Senior Curator Paola Antonelli to Coca-Cola Vice President of innovation David Butler.