Zubaida Bai is a women’s health advocate and UN SDG 3 Pioneer. She is the president and CEO of Grameen Foundation USA, a global non-profit investing in the power of women to end poverty and hunger.
Zubaida Bai
President and CEO, Grameen Foundation USA
What are some of the challenges faced by the women you work with when accessing healthcare?
The women we work with often confront deep-rooted barriers, including social norms that devalue women’s health needs. Young women aged 15-24 find even fewer pathways to accessing critical healthcare.
What strategies are you implementing to combat these challenges that can be replicated in the United States?
Grameen Foundation is building a mobile network of community agents who can support women’s healthcare needs while providing essential financial services, a dual approach that creates lasting impact. We also engage male spouses to strengthen families and tackle systemic problems, ultimately enhancing families’ ability to escape poverty. When families collaborate, the positive effects on women’s health and economic stability are transformative.
Our AccelHERate program focuses on young women, including those who age out or drop out of school programs. Many face limited employment opportunities and are often denied agency over their own healthcare decisions. We provide tailored support that starts with household change, strengthened by financial literacy combined with connections to reproductive health services, paving the way for brighter futures.
