"My Mother, My Best Friend"

Name: Raquel
Hometown: Madrid, Spain

Lessons from my mom: "Patience, support, constant love."

My mom was 19 years old when she gave birth to me. She's been my best friend ever since. I’m still amazed when I think of her constant patience, always listening to the stories I have to share. My mom celebrated the excitement of my first kiss and consoled me when that kiss became history. She came with me on that stressful day when I filled out college applications. It's not a coincidence that when I think about an important moment in my life my mom is connected to it. Most importantly, I'm grateful for my mother’s legacy of love for her family. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

This Mother's Day, honor your mother by changing the life of a mother in Africa.

Shabnam - "My Mother's Influence"

Name: Shabnam
Hometown: Los Angeles

I love my mother for many reasons. She is loving, fun, creative, young at heart, and outright hilarious. She has taught me to never give up an opportunity to dance. That everything looks better in the morning. And that you should always smile in the face of pretty much anything--even the most embarrassing of moments. And even though my natural tendency is to take myself very seriously, it's because of her that I know it's OK to just be silly every once in a while.

I love you, mama.

This Mother's Day card, honor your mother by changing the life of another.

Seraphine - "My Mother's Influence"

Name: Seraphine
Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya

When I was a little girl, my family visited my grandparents in Kitale, an agricultural town in western Kenya. It wasn’t long after we arrived that I became ill with severe abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea. I remember my mother carrying me on her back and leaving my grandmother’s grass hut in the middle of the night. There was no electricity in the village and my mother walked several miles in the dark of night in search of transportation to take me to the nearest healthcare facility. That memory will stay with me forever.

Thank you, mother, for teaching me love, sacrifice, leadership, and the importance of giving. I love you.

This Mother's Day, honor your mother by changing the life of another.

Ending malaria's grip on Senegal

Nearly 2,000 people die in Africa daily from malaria. This preventable and treatable disease costs Africa at least $12 billion every year in lost productivity. WWHI offers sustainable solutions by training local healthcare workers how to detect and treat malaria in pregnant women.

Read more about WWHI's malaria program.

Thanks for voting!

Thanks to all of you who voted for WWHI in the American Giving Awards. We didn't win, but we did garner a lot of wonderful support. We especially want to thank Chase Community Giving for selecting us as one of only 25 charities nationwide eligible to participate. Thanks, also, to:

*Deseret News
*KSL.com
*gDiapers
*Chez Larsson blog
*Utah Gov. Gary Herbert
*Our Facebook fans

And many other loyal supporters who emailed friends, posted on their social media sites, and cheered us on. Thank you!

Why I voted for WWHI

Today, I remembered Awa.

I first saw Awa's face and heard her story more than a year ago. This courageous woman from rural Senegal nearly died giving birth on a dirt floor -- all alone. Awa hardly remembers the bumpy motorbike ride over mountains and rivers to the nearest health post. Nor does she remember the two days there and how expensive it was -- almost $2 per day. She's forgotten about how she returned to her hut, curled up on the dirt floor, and nearly bled to death from a postpartum infection.

But I remember.

Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon in rural Senegal. In fact, it's not uncommon in a lot of places. Every 90 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth related complications. This staggering statistic seems futile, except for when I encounter organizations like WOMEN'S WORLD HEALTH INITIATIVE.

In just a few years, WWHI has already begun implementing life-saving programs for women like Awa. Here are just a few of the many ways WWHI is making a difference:

• Supplying health posts with essential equipment, such as basic suturing kits, hand-held Dopplers that monitor a fetus's heart, and mobile ultrasound machines.
• Empowering girls and women by offering classes on topics ranging from life skills, sexual reproduction, hygiene and nutrition.
• Partnering with local healthcare workers and companies to undergo large-scale studies on anemia, a major contributor to poor pregnancies.

WWHI is now competing for $1 million in the American Giving Awards presented by JP Morgan Chase. Winning Round 1 gives a minimum of $125,000 and a chance at $1 million in Round 2. I support WWHI, and hope you'll do the same.

Help WWHI win $1 million. VOTE NOW.

(And spread the word!)

Please help us win $1 million

Last week, WWHI was selected as one of only 25 charities in the U.S. to be eligible to receive up to $1 million from Chase! With just three mouse clicks, you can help in a HUGE way. Please vote now to make a difference for women in West Africa (and tell your friends, too). Thanks!