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Copyright 2004 World Vision Inc. |  | Martha Newsome is World Vision’s director of programs for orphans and vulnerable children in the African region. In this position since January 2004, Newsome leads World Vision’s community-based care programs, aimed at helping 3 million children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by the AIDS epidemic in nine severely affected countries in eastern and southern Africa.
Prior to assuming her current role, Newsome served four years as World Vision’s country director in Mozambique. Overseeing an annual budget of US$20,000,000 and a staff of nearly 900, Newsome helped grow Mozambique’s first sponsorship programs, linking sponsors in wealthy countries with children and communities in Mozambique. Under her direction those programs have increased to 20, benefiting more than 36,000 children by 2003.
From 1997 to 1999, Newsome served as World Vision’s health director in Mozambique. Between 1996 and 1997 she worked from Washington, D.C. as World Vision’s child survival/primary health care manager, training field staff and developing new sources of funding for health care projects.
Newsome has worked as technical advisor for Wellstart International’s Expanded Promotion of Breastfeeding programs for Asia, Africa and the former Soviet states. She also has authored several publications relating to issues surrounding the practice of breastfeeding. In addition to Mozambique, she has lived briefly in Mali and Cameroon.
Newsome graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts in social science from Wheaton College and holds a master of public health degree from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Heath. She also holds a certificate in lactation management education from Wellstart International in San Diego, California. She is fluent in Portuguese and conversant in French and West African Pidgen.
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