FROM August 12th, 2025
For Immediate Release – 12 August 2025
Today, on United Nations International Youth Day, the global community reflects on the indispensable role of young people in driving the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative, community-led solutions. Exemplifying this commitment, Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, President and Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) and Counsellor of One Young World (OYW), joins an eminent cohort of global leaders, including Terry Crews, Adwoa Aboah, Kat Graham, Maria Ressa, Tawakkol Karman, François Pienaar, Tendai Mtawarira, Kimberly Teehee, and Mark Tewksbury, who will gather at the One Young World Summit Munich 2025 to inspire, mentor, and mobilise the next generation of change-makers, bridging grassroots innovation with global influence.
One Young World, recognised as the foremost global forum for young leaders driving transformative social change, serves as a catalyst for strategic youth engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and the amplification of solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. In her role as Counsellor, H.E. Mrs Saraki contributes to this mission by offering strategic mentorship, connecting emerging leaders to international networks, and enabling youth-led innovations to influence both national policy and global development frameworks.
At the One Young World Summit Montréal/Tiohtià:ke in 2024, H.E. Mrs Saraki, in collaboration with WBFA’s long-standing social impact partner Reckitt, launched Project Oscar – Light for Life alongside youth and disability advocate Oscar Anderson MBE. Inspired by Anderson’s lived experience, the programme delivers neonatal jaundice screening, treatment, and kernicterus prevention training to healthcare workers across Nigeria, an initiative which demonstrates how, when supported, youth leadership and cross-sector collaboration can create life-saving health solutions.
This commitment to bridging global vision with local action is reflected in WBFA’s integrated programming, which includes school-based PSHE-WASH curricula that strengthen health literacy and hygiene practices, adolescent health initiatives that promote wellbeing and gender equity, and grassroots advocacy that ensures young voices are not just heard but actively shape policy and practice. From local classrooms to the global stage, WBFA equips youth with the knowledge, skills, and agency to lead meaningful change in their communities and beyond.
“With over 65% of SDG targets tied to local governance, meaningful youth participation is essential,” said H.E. Mrs Saraki. “Young people are indispensable partners in bridging the gap between policy and practice. As a Counsellor of One Young World, I am committed to working alongside governments, civil society, the private sector, and development partners to equip youth with the resources, opportunities, and platforms they need to drive transformative progress.”
This International Youth Day, WBFA reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that youth voices remain integral to the sustainable development agenda, aligning grassroots action with high-level policy to achieve measurable outcomes and long-term impact.
Related: See the full list of One Young World Counsellors attending the Munich 2025 Summit.
Media Contact:
Zelia Bukhari – zelia.bukhari@wbfafrica.org
FROM August 8th, 2025
Abuja, Nigeria – 1 August 2025
Last week in Abuja, Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and global advocate for maternal, newborn, and child health, delivered a keynote goodwill address at the high-level Dissemination Meeting of the Global Health Workforce Programme Local Grant 130, as it concluded its costed extension phase.
Convened by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine as Lead Partner, in collaboration with the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, the dissemination meeting marked the successful conclusion of a transformative phase in GHWP LG130, advancing emergency obstetric care capacity across Nigeria.
In her remarks, Her Excellency Mrs Saraki reflected on the initiative’s far-reaching accomplishments, stating:
“Through GHWP LG130, we have trained 266 health professionals, including 85 consultant obstetricians, 168 senior registrars, 9 registrars, and 4 medical officers, in life-saving emergency obstetric and surgical skills. Critically, 82 of these were NPMCN faculty examiners, thereby strengthening both frontline clinical practice and postgraduate mentorship for future generations. Yet the true legacy lies in the ripple effect: peer-to-peer learning, mentorship cascades, and systemic improvements in clinical outcomes across all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.”
Delivered through the Advanced Obstetrics and Surgical Skills (AOSS) competency-based curriculum, the programme has achieved national reach through regional training hubs in Gombe, Port Harcourt Rivers State, Enugu, Kano, Abuja, and Lagos. Two fully equipped Centres of Excellence, located at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, and Lagos University Teaching Hospital, now serve as sustainable national assets for simulation-based training, offering advanced OSCE tools such as Lucy & Mum obstetric simulators and Resusci Baby QCPR units to reinforce clinical fidelity and competence.
Her Excellency Mrs Saraki highlighted the programme’s gender impact, highlighting that 98 of the trained health professionals were women.
“In a field where female leadership has historically faced barriers, this level of participation represents more than a statistic. It reflects an intentional shift towards inclusive excellence and ensures that the maternal care workforce reflects the lived realities of those it serves.”
Beyond its clinical scope, GHWP LG130 has also demonstrated leadership in policy alignment, communications, and advocacy. Under WBFA’s guidance, the programme’s outcomes were strategically amplified across national media and global platforms, including the World Health Assembly, the UK-Africa Health Summit, and the United Nations General Assembly, reinforcing Nigeria’s role as a leader in maternal health innovation. Over 50 communications outputs were disseminated across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X, reaching thousands and positioning the UK-Nigeria partnership as a replicable model of effective global health collaboration.
In her address, H.E. Mrs Saraki also affirmed the programme’s alignment with the Federal Ministry of Health’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), launched in 2023 to drastically reduce maternal deaths in high-burden states. She further connected GHWP LG130 to Nigeria’s commitment to the World Economic Forum’s Global Activator Network on Maternal Health, where she serves as a WEF Champion for Women’s Health.
“We are building not only a trained health workforce, but a resilient, responsive, and inclusive system, one that supports women’s health at every level and equips every facility to save lives in moments of critical need.”
As Nigeria prepares to transition from donor-supported programming to sustained national ownership, Her Excellency Mrs Saraki called for collective responsibility to embed this success within policy frameworks and budgetary commitments at the federal and state levels:
“Let us now engage governors, state commissioners, parliaments, and, crucially, First Ladies and political spouses, whose leadership within social development spheres can help institutionalise this model of continuous professional development. The time to act is now.”
In closing, H.E. Mrs Saraki expressed her deep appreciation to LSTM, NPMCN, Ducit Blue Solutions, and all implementing partners and trainees who contributed to the success of GHWP LG130:
“We have laid the foundation, and now we will drive the future of maternal and newborn health and wellbeing in Nigeria, ensuring that it is stronger, smarter, more equitable, and sustainably safeguarded for generations to come.”
The Global Health Workforce Programme is funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care and managed by Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET), with in-country grant management provided by Ducit Blue Solutions. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen health workforce resilience and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya.
For interviews, further information, or access to programme materials, please contact:
Zelia Bukhari
Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Communications
H.E. Toyin Saraki Global Office & Philanthropy
zelia.bukhari@wbfafrica.org
FROM July 29th, 2025
Each year, Pan-African Women’s Day (PAWD) reminds us of the enduring legacy, resilience, and leadership of African women. However, as we celebrate, we must also confront a lingering truth: far too many pregnant and breastfeeding women in Africa are still left behind in HIV prevention efforts. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not merely recipients of care, they are architects of community wellbeing, leaders within households and societies, and central to the intergenerational health equity we must pursue.
The theme for PAWD 2025, “Advancing Social and Economic Justice for African Women through Reparations”, reminds us of the critical need to address systemic social and economic inequalities hindering women’s empowerment and advancement. PAWD 2025 coincides with the World Breastfeeding Week 2025, themed “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.” Therefore, we are also called to translate that legacy into concrete action for the next generation, starting from pregnancy and the earliest days of life. This year, we call for an intentional shift to integrate HIV prevention, including PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) into the broader maternal and child health ecosystem. Doing so is not only scientifically sound; it is a moral and human rights imperative, and a step toward redressing historic injustices through maternal health equity.
A Gendered Lens on HIV Prevention
The African Union Commission (AUC) has long championed the rights of African women and girls. AU frameworks, including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the AU Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, and the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Malaria by 2030, guarantees equitable and affordable access to HIV prevention and treatment services. Nonetheless, gender inequality continues to drive HIV vulnerability, especially among adolescent girls, young women, and mothers. On a continent where women bear the brunt of both unpaid care work and HIV infections, we must place pregnant and breastfeeding women at the heart of HIV prevention strategies.
Pan-African Women’s Day is more than a celebration; it is a policy moment. We should use this occasion to strengthen the link between reproductive health, HIV prevention, and gender equity. In our communities, we have witnessed firsthand ways midwives and frontline workers can transform maternal care when equipped with the tools, training, and trust to do so. We need to reimagine HIV prevention not as a siloed programme, but as a foundational component of respectful, comprehensive, gender-responsive maternal health.
Breastfeeding as a Health Justice Issue
The 2025 World Breastfeeding Week theme urges us to prioritise breastfeeding through sustainable systems- systems that must also prioritise the health and HIV status of the mother and child. Offering long-acting PrEP like CAB-LA, ensuring routine HIV testing during antenatal care, and integrating EID into immunisation schedules are essential to building that system. This is how we ensure that breastfeeding is not only a biological bond, but also a protective, empowering act, free of fear, stigma, or silence. Sustainable breastfeeding support must include comprehensive maternal diagnostics and wraparound care. Let us also ensure that every woman is met with dignity, discretion, and informed choice whether through access to long-acting PrEP, timely testing, or compassionate postpartum support.
A United African Response
We must elevate community engagement, involve Traditional and Religious leaders, and support healthcare workers who are often themselves women and the first and sometimes only line of care for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Pan-African leadership on all levels, from governments to grassroots, must ensure that every mother has access to life-saving HIV prevention tools. Transforming outcomes for mothers and babies requires systems change, built on multisectoral partnerships. From ministries to midwives, from labs to legislatures, we must align our investments with our aspirations, for a future where no woman is left behind.
The AUC Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate and Africa REACH Leadership Council stand together to say: African women should live, lead, and breastfeed without the shadow of HIV. As we celebrate Pan-African Women’s Day and Breastfeeding Week, let us continue to advocate for and implement policies that lead to health emancipation. May we renew our collective resolve to ensure that African women can live, lead, and nourish the next generation, in health, in dignity, and in freedom from HIV.
Happy Pan-African Women’s Day!
FROM June 30th, 2025
LAGOS, NIGERIA | 28th June 2025 – Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder and President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, has been officially inducted into the Friends of FLAC network, a distinguished alliance of national leaders, advocates, and partners committed to strengthening cancer care and prevention across Nigeria.
The induction took place during the Friends of FLAC Induction and Book Launch: Renewed Hope for Cancer Patients, held in Lagos and convened by First Ladies Against Cancer with the support of global oncology leader Roche. Her Excellency was represented at the event by her Wellbeing Foundation Africa team, who joined current and former first ladies, as well as stakeholders from across the country, in reaffirming a unified and multi-sectoral approach to cancer care.
“It is a profound honour to be inducted into the Friends of FLAC network,” said H.E. Mrs Saraki. “As the cancer burden in Nigeria continues to rise, we must act with strategic clarity and urgent compassion. This network represents a vital opportunity to expand access to prevention, screening, and treatment services, and to ensure no Nigerian, particularly women and girls, is left behind.”
As part of the event, FLAC hosted its 2025 Mid-Year Meeting, where members signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, establishing a coordinated framework for nationwide cancer interventions. The meeting also featured the screening of “What I Don’t Know Won’t Kill Me”, a transformative documentary highlighting cervical cancer awareness and early detection.
Representing WBFA’s longstanding commitment to women’s health and cancer advocacy, the Foundation’s presence reinforced the integration of breast and cervical cancer screening into maternal health systems. Through its flagship Mamacare360 Antenatal and Postnatal Education Programme, WBFA continues to deliver frontline education, self-examination training, and referral services to women across Nigeria, while also advocating for HPV vaccination and the strengthening of health data systems.
Her Excellency also extended her commendation to the outgoing FLAC Chair, Her Excellency Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, for her resolute leadership and advocacy, as she assumes her new global role as President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control. She warmly welcomed Her Excellency Chief Barr. Chioma Uzodimma, First Lady of Imo State, as the newly elected Chairperson of FLAC, noting her dedication to inclusive development and public service.
“As we move forward under new leadership and strengthened partnerships,” Mrs Saraki noted, “we remain steadfast in our belief that health is a foundation for national prosperity. Working together, we will continue to transform cancer in Nigeria from a sentence of fear into a future of survivorship and restored hope.”
Media Contact:
Zelia Bukhari – The Wellbeing Foundation Africa
Email: zelia.bukhari@wbfafrica.org
FROM June 17th, 2025
H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder and President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, has been appointed as a member of the Bayer Sustainability Council, joining a distinguished global cohort of experts dedicated to advancing sustainability through health equity, food security, and climate resilience.
Bayer AG today announced the restructuring of its independent Sustainability Council, welcoming five new members: H.E. Mrs Toyin Saraki, Facundo Etchebehere, Lisa Lange, Philipp Roesler, and Cori Wittman Stitt. The Council serves as a high-level advisory body guiding Bayer’s strategy and performance on sustainability, ensuring that the company’s global goals are informed by diverse, real-world expertise.
H.E. Mrs Saraki’s appointment brings a wealth of experience in maternal, newborn, and child health; gender equity; and community health system strengthening, areas she has championed for over two decades across Africa and globally.
“It is an honour to join Bayer’s Sustainability Council at such a pivotal moment for our planet and its people. As we look to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, our collective responsibility is to ensure that sustainability is not an abstract ideal but a lived reality, especially for the most vulnerable populations. In this spirit of being Stronger Together, I look forward to contributing my insights from frontline Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health, plus Nutrition RMNCAH+N, and to strengthening the link between community health systems and corporate sustainability commitments,” said H.E. Mrs Toyin Saraki.
The newly restructured Council will work more closely with Bayer’s internal sustainability teams and operational working groups, helping accelerate the company’s progress toward its 2030 targets in areas including regenerative agriculture, climate resilience, and access to healthcare.
H.E. Mrs Saraki joins a multidisciplinary group of sustainability leaders, with continuing members including Professor Ashok Gulati (India), Professor Christian Klein (Germany), Carolyn Miles (USA), and Dante Pesce Gonzalez (Chile). The Council embodies a Health for All, Hunger for None approach to sustainability, one that bridges sectors, disciplines, and communities to create enduring impact.
Through her leadership at the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and advisory roles with global institutions, H.E. Mrs Saraki has consistently worked to align public health delivery with human rights, gender justice, and sustainable development. Her appointment highlights the vital role of African leadership and frontline insight in shaping global sustainability agendas.
<Read Official Bayer Press Release>
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For Media Enquiries:
Zelia Bukhari – zelia.bukhari@wbfafrica.org
FROM May 1st, 2025
Lagos, Nigeria, and Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA – 24 April 2025
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) and Caring Cross are pleased to announce the execution of a formal Memorandum of Understanding to advance equitable access to cutting-edge medical therapies, including CAR-T cell treatments and stem cell gene therapies, within the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The agreement is established for an initial term of one year, with the possibility of extension, and will be in effect from 24 April 2025 to 23 April 2026.
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, established by Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, is a distinguished non-governmental organisation committed to strengthening health systems and improving health outcomes across Nigeria and the African continent through policy advocacy, strategic partnerships, and frontline implementation. Caring Cross, based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, is a mission-driven non-profit organisation dedicated to expanding global access to life-saving cell and gene therapies through decentralised manufacturing models, technological innovation, and equitable frameworks.
This strategic collaboration, anchored in principles of scientific justice, ethical stewardship, and inclusive innovation, seeks to support the responsible localisation and sustainable integration of advanced biotherapeutics within Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem. Under the terms of the MoU, WBFA will lead high-level policy engagement, advocacy initiatives, and stakeholder mobilisation to facilitate regulatory alignment, legislative support, and public trust. Caring Cross will provide its technical expertise in the ethical development, manufacture, and delivery of CAR-T and gene therapies, employing open-access models that prioritise affordability and health system integration.
“Our collaboration with Caring Cross embodies a shared vision that the future of healthcare innovation must be universally accessible and ethically grounded,” remarked Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. “We are committed to ensuring that pioneering therapies reach all populations equitably, advancing both scientific progress and social justice.”
Dr. Boro Dropulić, Director of Caring Cross, noted: “We are honoured to collaborate with the Wellbeing Foundation Africa to catalyse a model of health innovation that is driven by community needs, scientific rigour, and systemic equity. We aspire to make Nigeria a model for inclusive, sustainable access to the benefits of advanced therapeutic technologies.”
By harnessing advocacy, regulatory innovation, and decentralised biotherapeutic manufacturing, WBFA and Caring Cross aim to position Nigeria as a demonstrative leader in expanding access to 21st-century medical innovations within emerging health systems. Furthermore, the collaboration will serve as a model for bridging the global innovation gap by fostering knowledge exchange, global financing opportunities, and collaborative regulation to advance transformative care.
Representatives from Caring Cross will be present at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Monday, May 5th, taking place at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California. We welcome expressions of interest from prospective partners and investors who wish to support our initiatives in Nigeria. To arrange a meeting, please contact us via the details provided below.
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2004 by Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki. Its mission is to improve health and wellbeing across sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on areas such as maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, gender equality, and sustainable development. WBFA’s initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming for measurable impact through frontline programs, strategic partnerships, and community engagement. Through its broad-reaching programs, WBFA strives to create healthier, more resilient communities across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
Media Contact:
Zelia Bukhari
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa
zelia.bukhari@wbfafrica.org
+44 7564 838691
Caring Cross is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the development of advanced medicines and ensuring global access to cures. To achieve its mission, Caring Cross develops technologies and therapeutic candidates that improve the accessibility, affordability, and applicability of advanced medicines like CAR-T therapy and stem cell gene therapy.
Vectors used for Caring Cross ATMPs are manufactured by Vector BioMed, a for-profit vector contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), specializing in rapid lentiviral vector manufacturing solutions, to provide the industry with affordable, high-quality GMP lentiviral vectors.
https://caringcross.org
https://vectorbiomed.com
Media Contacts:
Daniel Laender, Director of Communications, Caring Cross
daniel.laender@caringcross.org
+1 (240) 447-3692
Kathy Fowler, On The Marc Media
kathleen@onthemarcmedia.com
+1 (410) 963-2345
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