Robin Lim, an Filipino-Ameri­can woman midwife based in Indonesia who has helped thou­sands of poor women have a healthy pregnancy and birth, was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year on Sunday night. The 54-year-old Lim, whose mother is Filipino-Chinese, built “birthing sanctuaries” for Indo­nesians who need maternal and general health care. Filipinos immediately wel­comed Lim’s victory through so­cial media sites like Twitter. Through her Yayasan Bumi Se-hat health clinics, “Mother Rob­in,” or “Ibu Robin” as she is called by the locals, offers free prenatal care, birthing services and medi­cal aid in Indonesia, where many families cannot afford care.

“Every baby’s first breath on Earth could be one of peace and love. Every mother should be healthy and strong. Every birth could be safe and loving. But our world is not there yet,” Lim said during “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” which took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and recognized Lim and the oth­er top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011.

Many women in the develop­ing world do not have access to contraception or maternal care. According to the United Nations Population Fund, three out of five women giving birth in South Asia do so without a skilled birth atten­dant on hand. In Indonesia, the average family earns the equiva­lent of $8 a day, according to the International Monetary Fund. But a baby delivery costs about $70 at a hospital, and a Caesarian sec­tion can cost as much as $700.

Lim believes Indonesia’s high maternal and infant mortality rates are caused in part by these costs, which many women can­not meet. “The situation is bad ... babies are unattended, deliveries have become commercialized, and mothers die from hemorrhage af­ter childbirth because they can’t afford proper care,” Lim told CNN earlier this year.

The CNN Hero of the Year was chosen by the public after an 11-week vote on CNN.com. For being named Hero of the Year, Lim will receive $250,000 for her cause. That’s in addition to the $50,000 that she and the rest of the top 10 Heroes each received for making the top 10. Another Filipino that won the CNN Hero was pushcart educator Efren Panaflorida in 2009.

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