After the birth of her second child, Asha and her husband signed up to receive weekly voice and SMS messages from the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action.

Having health information in the palm of her hand is now possible for Asha Sarkar, a new mother who lives in a slum outside of Dhaka. She is one of t...

Every year, more than 3 million newborns die during their first month of life. This year alone, more than 7 million children around the world won't make it to the age of five. While these numbers are sobering, there is hope: Most of these deaths are preventable, and we already have the tools to help stop them.

In collaboration with Cell-Life and Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Praekelt Foundation will launch MAMA South Africa -- a mobile phone based community that allows mothers to access vital health information on their mobile phones in a way that is personal and discreet.

Here's how MAMA's mobile messaging works: A mother indicates her due date or the birthday of her recently born child. She then automatically receives weekly health messages and reminders during her pregnancy and up to the child's first birthday.

Moms all over the world need the right information. Last April, we helped launch MAMA, an initiative to deliver critical health information to women in the developing world through text and voice messages on basic mobile phones.

As Americans gather on Sunday to honor our mamas, we should also be celebrating "MAMA," a new global health initiative launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).