$20 million latest gift from philanthropist Melinda French Gates aims at reshaping women’s health across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East

A transformative new initiative aimed at reshaping women’s health across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East has been launched with a $20 million new commitment from philanthropist Melinda French Gates.

The funding will support the Hauwa Ojeifo Scholarship, a groundbreaking program designed to elevate young leaders tackling some of the most pressing health and human rights challenges facing women and girls today.

In partnership with One Young World, the scholarship will empower emerging changemakers aged 18 to 30 who are working in critical areas such as mental health, sexual and domestic violence, disability rights, and the protection of girls from child marriage, female genital mutilation, and adolescent pregnancy. Selected recipients will receive up to $25,000 in grant funding, full participation in the One Young World Summit, and lifetime membership in the organization’s global Ambassador network.

The initiative is the brainchild of Hauwa Ojeifo, a Nigerian mental health advocate whose personal journey with bipolar disorder and PTSD inspired her to found She Writes Woman, a nonprofit that destigmatizes mental illness and provides accessible care across West Africa.

“Women and girls in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East face disproportionate health challenges and systemic barriers to care—especially when it comes to mental health and disability inclusion,” said Ojeifo. “This scholarship is a way to ensure that people like me—those with mental health conditions and disabilities—are not just represented, but are leading and reshaping the systems that affect our lives.”

The scholarship places a strong emphasis on psychosocial support and disability-inclusive approaches, areas often underfunded in global health efforts. The funding from Melinda French Gates underscores a growing recognition that addressing these challenges is essential to improving outcomes for women and girls globally.

“Melinda French Gates’s investment is not just financial—it’s a commitment to the idea that the future of global health must be inclusive, intersectional, and locally driven,” said Ojeifo. “This is just the beginning.”

Melinda French Gates has played a leading role in giving over $60 billion to the Gates Foundation, with total contributions (including Warren Buffett) reaching around $100 billion.

Since her divorce, she controls an additional $12.5 billion for her own philanthropy and has committed $1 billion specifically to support women and families.

Her estimated lifetime giving is already well over $60 billion, and continues to grow through both foundation and personal initiatives.