Dhaka, December 8, 2012– In recognition of their outstanding work in providing quality maternal and child health support in China, India, Zambia, Uganda, and Somalia—Embrace has been named winner of the 2012 Asia Society-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Asia 21 Young Leaders Public Service Award (Asia 21 PSA). Rajan Patel, Area Manager of Embrace based in Gujarat, India, accepted the award during the ceremonies at the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Embrace advances maternal and child health by delivering innovative solutions to the world’s most vulnerable populations. They catalyze the creation of products with strong potential to improve the health outcomes in developing countries and work to get those products directly to the people who need them the most. Embrace has designed a low-cost infant warmer that addresses the challenge of caring for hypothermic infants by warming and regulating their body temperature, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional incubator. The Embrace infant warmer does not require constant electricity, is portable and lightweight, locally reparable, and allows mothers to breastfeed while providing maternal support.

The Asia 21 Public Service Award recognizes an organization that has made an outstanding contribution in reaching underprivileged social/economic groups by providing a meaningful service to a community and the public in the region. The selection is overseen by the incumbent Asia 21 Fellowship Class, a core group of young leaders from across the Asia-Pacific, based on project innovation and feasibility, quantifiable impact, sustainability and growth potential.

Aside from receiving $10,000, Embrace also gains access to the network of resources and expertise of the 2012 Asia 21 Fellowship Class. This may include interaction in such areas as Strategic Planning, Capacity Building and Training, Resource Mobilization, and Program Development and Management.