Ibu Robin Lim is a Filipino–American midwife, mother, grandmother, and founder of Yayasan Bumi Sehat, a nonprofit organization that provides free maternity care for pregnant women, mothers and their babies, plus healthcare for all those in need.
Born in the Philippines in 1956, Robin decided to become a midwife in 1991, when her sister and neice tragically died during childbirth. She qualified as a midwife in the United States and Indonesia, and founded the Bumi Sehat Foundation International in Bali, Indonesia. To date, she has birthed over 9,000 babies and is known by locals and international fans alike as “Ibu Robin” (Mother Robin). Bumi Sehat (which translates to “healthy mother earth”) operates clinics in Bali, Sumatra Island Aceh, Papua and the Philippines, as well as temporary clinics in disaster areas around the world such as Haiti and Nepal. Through the foundation, Robin trains and inspires more than 6,000 midwives and nurses per year, and over 300,000 people have benefitted from Bumi Sehat’s services to date.
The Story
Living life for love.
If not for love, what else would you live for?
In 1992, in a Balinese village without a paved road and limited electricity, an elderly midwife spoke his final words, “In ten days time, my successor will come.” And with that, he passed away. Ten days later, still carrying her unborn fifth child, Robin and her family turned up in the very same village.
Two years previously, Robin had lost her younger sister and her unborn child to complications in the pregnancy. Her sister could have been saved, but in a busy hospital, the doctors were too preoccupied to see her when she became worried about her own condition.
Having moved there in search of a fresh start, Robin soon realized that, in Bali, lives that could be saved were being lost everyday due to malnutrition or poverty.
Recognizing this injustice spurred Robin to action. She realized that her life now had a purpose – to live a life for love. With that she took to a future of protecting mothers, babies and their families.
A few months later, still recovering from the birth of her fifth child, Robin found herself inundated with villagers asking for her help as a midwife. Already an experienced birth attendant, Robin returned to the U.S. to officially become certified and in 1995 began practicing as a professional midwife in Bali.
Over the past 20 years since then, Robin has worked across borders and touched many lives, and has come to be known as ‘Ibu Robin’, or ‘Mother Robin’ by the adoring people around her.
In 2011, Robin was awarded CNN’s title “Hero of the Year”, followed by the coveted “Bayanihan Peace-builders Award” with the Bumi-Wadah disaster relief team from the President of the Philippines. She has now authored a total of 19 books.
The Mission
A Safe Haven for Society’s Most Vulnerable
Although its primary mission is to provide reproductive services to all marginalized, displaced or low-income peoples, regardless of their background or condition, Bumi Sehat never turns its back when a person walks in to seek help whatever their problem may be. While serving all those in need, Bumi Sehat’s role in the community has evolved to become one of a true community center providing a wide range of services; from medical care and education to environmental and community development programs.
Support in nutrition and breastfeeding
Neonatal check-ups and pediatric care
Prenatal yoga
Emergency transport by ambulance
Complementary therapies such as acupuncture and homeopathy
Eye tests and provision of free glasses
Lab (CBC, HIV Tests, Blood and Urinalysis)
Community medical outreach
Yoga and other activities for the elderly
HIV Education Workshops
Youth Centre
Midwifery training and scholarship program
Organic garden
Village Recycling Program
Even at times of devastating disasters, babies will continue to be born.When there’s a disaster, Bumi Sehat immediately dispatches a team to set up a temporary clinic to provide disaster relief, maternity care and inpatient general medical services.For example, after the Sumatra tsunami in 2004 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Bumi Sehat was there in the immediate aftermath, setting up temporary relief camps which have now become established clinics. These clinics are a lifeline for those still suffering from the effects of a disaster.Even now the queues remain, with every bed full as people wait their turn.
Bumi Sehat is adamant about protecting mothers and babies whatever their situation. If a pregnant woman is poor or malnourished, they will visit her home after birth to check her circumstances, provide food and clothes when necessary, and even help their husband find work. If a couple have had a stillbirth and can’t afford the burial, Bumi Sehat will step in to find a way to cover the costs. In extraordinary cases, if they find out that a mother cannot take their newborn home after a hospital birth because she is unable to pay medical fees in full, Bumi Sehat will pay the bill and ensure the mother and baby return home safely.
At A Glance
IMPACT HERO 2016
Robin Lim
The Mission
A Safe Haven for Society’s Most Vulnerable
Although its primary mission is to provide reproductive services to all marginalized, displaced or low-income peoples, regardless of their background or condition, Bumi Sehat never turns its back when a person walks in to seek help whatever their problem may be. While serving all those in need, Bumi Sehat’s role in the community has evolved to become one of a true community center providing a wide range of services; from medical care and education to environmental and community development programs.
Support in nutrition and breastfeeding
Neonatal check-ups and pediatric care
Prenatal yoga
Emergency transport by ambulance
Complementary therapies such as acupuncture and homeopathy
Eye tests and provision of free glasses
Lab (CBC, HIV Tests, Blood and Urinalysis)
Community medical outreach
Yoga and other activities for the elderly
HIV Education Workshops
Youth Centre
Midwifery training and scholarship program
Organic garden
Village Recycling Program
Even at times of devastating disasters, babies will continue to be born.When there’s a disaster, Bumi Sehat immediately dispatches a team to set up a temporary clinic to provide disaster relief, maternity care and inpatient general medical services.For example, after the Sumatra tsunami in 2004 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Bumi Sehat was there in the immediate aftermath, setting up temporary relief camps which have now become established clinics. These clinics are a lifeline for those still suffering from the effects of a disaster.Even now the queues remain, with every bed full as people wait their turn.
Bumi Sehat is adamant about protecting mothers and babies whatever their situation. If a pregnant woman is poor or malnourished, they will visit her home after birth to check her circumstances, provide food and clothes when necessary, and even help their husband find work. If a couple have had a stillbirth and can’t afford the burial, Bumi Sehat will step in to find a way to cover the costs. In extraordinary cases, if they find out that a mother cannot take their newborn home after a hospital birth because she is unable to pay medical fees in full, Bumi Sehat will pay the bill and ensure the mother and baby return home safely.
At A Glance
IMPACT HERO 2016
Robin Lim
The Cause
The maternal mortality rate in Indonesia is the worst among Southeast Asian countries – a staggering 373 deaths per 100,000 births (2013 data). The reasons for this high rate are poverty, hunger and malnutrition. These can lead to premature births, while postpartum hemorrhaging can be fatal. What’s more, mothers can be forced to give birth on a schedule, given drugs to artificially induce labour, or forced to have unnecessary cesarean sections.
The Needs
Bumi Sehat boasts low rates of maternal mortality and haemorrhaging, as well as a 100% breast-feeding success rate – superior even when compared to birth models from so-called ‘developed’ countries. The foundation receives requests from all over the world to build clinics for communities in need, and your support can help Bumi Sehat to expand and save an even greater number of lives.
●Clinic Operating Costs
For the past 20 years, Bumi Sehat has run its services on donations from all over the world. But it is far from an easy task to gather donations on this scale, and Robin’s greatest worry is securing enough funding to maintain the much-needed services Bumi Sehat provides. Operating Bumi Sehat’s Bali and Sumatra Clinics alone requires $1,200 US a day – nearly $440,000 US a year. They are always open to donations to support their operations.
Earth Company’s Support
Fundraising: $313,000 US
Earth Company’s fundraising campaign for Bumi Sehat’s new Bali clinic started in September 2015 and came to a close in June 2016. A beautiful traditional ceremony was held to officially open the new clinic on October 15, 2016. We also supported the establishment of a new clinic in Papua in 2018, and in Palawan (Philippines) in 2019.
Bumi Sehat also provides healthcare support in disasters, and Earth Company has supported their relief activities on three occasions following natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and typhoons in India and the Philippines.
In order to provide a more stable source of income for Bumi Sehat after Earth Company’s support period ends, we raised the equivalent of $30,000 US (3 million JPY) per year in monthly donations from individuals and corporations in Japan.
Marketing Support: 13 instances
In order to raise the profile of Bumi Sehat’s activities in Japan and connect them with new opportunities, Earth Company generated 13 instances of coverage for Bumi Sehat across a variety of media, from online outlets to scientific journals. Examples include a full story on Bumi Sehat in the Japanese Journal for Midwives.
Nonprofit Management Consulting
Bumi Sehat covers its operating costs (43 million JPY per year) through donations, but it is a huge challenge for Robin to raise such an amount every year. In order to secure a more stable revenue stream, Earth Company has planned a training program in Bumi Sehat for Japanese midwives and is supporting its implementation. In addition, we helped Bumi Sehat to secure its first monthly donors from Japan and provided advice on further stabilizing its financial resources.
Earth Company has also organized a team of volunteers to support Bumi Sehat and maintain its connection with Japan beyond our support period. From 2019, the team will take responsibility for operations such as training program management and managing enquiries from Japanese-speaking monthly supporters.
The new clinic in Bali
$106,100
The new clinic in Papua
$88,900
The new clinic in Palawan in the Philippines
$15,000
The emergency assistance for the eruption of Mount Agung in Bali!
$8,100
The emergency assistance for the earthquake in Lombok island
$52,200
The emergency assistance for the typhoon in Baguio in Luzon
$5,000
The evacuation shelter in Bumisehat
$9,000
Robin Lim’s Japan tour
Annual donations of $30,700
General donations
$21,000
Earth Company’s Support
Fundraising: $313,000 US
Earth Company’s fundraising campaign for Bumi Sehat’s new Bali clinic started in September 2015 and came to a close in June 2016. A beautiful traditional ceremony was held to officially open the new clinic on October 15, 2016. We also supported the establishment of a new clinic in Papua in 2018, and in Palawan (Philippines) in 2019.
Bumi Sehat also provides healthcare support in disasters, and Earth Company has supported their relief activities on three occasions following natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and typhoons in India and the Philippines.
In order to provide a more stable source of income for Bumi Sehat after Earth Company’s support period ends, we raised the equivalent of $30,000 US (3 million JPY) per year in monthly donations from individuals and corporations in Japan.
Marketing Support: 13 instances
In order to raise the profile of Bumi Sehat’s activities in Japan and connect them with new opportunities, Earth Company generated 13 instances of coverage for Bumi Sehat across a variety of media, from online outlets to scientific journals. Examples include a full story on Bumi Sehat in the Japanese Journal for Midwives.
Nonprofit Management Consulting
Bumi Sehat covers its operating costs (43 million JPY per year) through donations, but it is a huge challenge for Robin to raise such an amount every year. In order to secure a more stable revenue stream, Earth Company has planned a training program in Bumi Sehat for Japanese midwives and is supporting its implementation. In addition, we helped Bumi Sehat to secure its first monthly donors from Japan and provided advice on further stabilizing its financial resources.
Earth Company has also organized a team of volunteers to support Bumi Sehat and maintain its connection with Japan beyond our support period. From 2019, the team will take responsibility for operations such as training program management and managing enquiries from Japanese-speaking monthly supporters.
The new clinic in Bali
$106,100
The new clinic in Papua
$88,900
The new clinic in Palawan in the Philippines
$15,000
The emergency assistance for the eruption of Mount Agung in Bali!
$8,100
The emergency assistance for the earthquake in Lombok island
$52,200
The emergency assistance for the typhoon in Baguio in Luzon
$5,000
The evacuation shelter in Bumisehat
$9,000
Robin Lim’s Japan tour
Annual donations of $30,700
General donations
$21,000
Message from Robin
You only know the tip of how much YOU have impacted me.
You only know the tip of the iceberg of how deeply YOU have impacted me…
I wish words could express.I feel less afraid. Less lonely…because of you.