About Ibu Robin Lim

Robin Lim is a Filipina-American grandmother, midwife, and founder of Bumi Sehat Foundation, which maintains six clinics in Indonesia and Philippines. She is an accomplished author, teacher, keynote speaker, 2011 CNN “Hero of the Year,” and Ashoka Fellow (a prestigious award for the world’s leading social change entrepreneurs).

She is most commonly known in Bali, where Bumi Sehat’s headquarters and flagship clinic are located, as simply Ibu (“Mother”) Robin. She resides there with her husband, Wil Hemmerle, her 92-year-old mother Crescenia, and many of her eight children and seven grandchildren.

With a vision to revolutionize birth, peacefully, Ibu Robin founded the Bumi Sehat (“Healthy Mother Earth”) Foundation in 1993 to provide birthing services and heal the country’s devastatingly high maternal and infant mortality rate. Following the tradition of her own Filipina grandmother who was a traditional healer and birthkeeper, Ibu Robin became a Certified Professional Midwife and led Bumi Sehat’s community health and childbirth clinic.

An Expanded Mission

Bumi Sehat’s mission later grew with the arrival of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the worst tsunami disaster in history. It was the deadliest for Indonesia’s northern province of Aceh, and Ibu Robin acted quickly to get help to the epicenter of the devastation. Bumi Sehat was an early responder, sending staff and medical supplies for medical relief, as well as mother and infant survival services, food and water.

In the years that followed, more massive natural disasters struck Indonesia and the Philippines that Ibu Robin’s teams would respond to. Ultimately, many of these disaster response sites became permanent clinic locations, and facilitated the expansion of Bumi Sehat from one clinic to six. Bumi Sehat now employs more than 300 staff, providing extensive medical services to communities, education and scholarships, and support services in a variety of humanitarian efforts.

Ibu Robin’s early work in disaster response was captured by filmmaker and daughter Déjà Bernhardt in the award-winning documentary, “Guerrilla Midwife.”

Advocacy and Education

Ibu Robin has emerged as a global authority on midwifery and is a leading advocate for human rights at childbirth, access to healthcare for women and children, environmental responsibility, and cultural respect. She tirelessly conducts fundraising to support this mission, and continues to find new ways to serve her communities.

She is the author of more than 12 books, leads doula and birthkeeper retreats, and is a sought-after keynote speaker around the world. She has also undertaken two additional initiatives, co-founding Bumi Herbs in Bali and launching the Awakening Birth podcast with fellow midwife Deborah Flowers.

In addition to her Ashoka Fellowship and CNN Hero designations, Ibu Robin was recognized again by CNN Indonesia in 2024 for “Outstanding Humanitarian Activities in Women’s Health.” She was also selected for the 2012 “Jeannine Parvati Birthkeeper Award” from The Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health, the 2006 “International Alexander Langer Award,” and the 2016 “Impact Hero” award from Earth Company.

Services

Midwifery

Ibu Robin advises expectant moms and the Bumi Sehat teams in Indonesia and the Philippines. For more information, just send an inquiry.

Speaking

Ibu Robin is available to deliver speeches, serve as a panelist, and deliver keynotes on a variety of topics including midwifery, motherhood, and the environment.

Teaching

Thousands of midwives, doulas, nurses and health practitioners have benefited from learning about safe, gentle birth from Ibu Robin.

To inquire about working with Ibu Robin, fill out the contact form and we’ll be in touch.

“Babies have taught me that the world is worth saving.”

— Ibu Robin

Awards and Recognition

  • International Alexander Langer Award (2006)

    Hero of the Year, CNN (2011)

    Jeannine Parvati Birthkeeper Award, The Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health (2012)

    Impact Hero, Earth Company (2016)

    Outstanding Humanitarian Activities, CNN (2024)

  • Ashoka Fellow, 2024

    Ashoka Fellows are the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. They champion innovative new ideas that transform society’s systems, providing benefits for everyone and improving the lives of millions of people. This prestigious lifetime fellowship to support and advance their mission to improve humanity.

  • Reconnecting the circle of support of women, families and community at birth, Ibu Robin Lim’s wisdom, warmth and nurturing will fill your spirit and hearts as her heroic journey and storytelling awakens and deepens the doula spirit in us all! – Debra Pascali-Bonaro

    Robin Lim is what we all should strive to be — a great, abundant, generous, warm and tirelessly running faucet of humanity and grace. – Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love

“Robin Lim is what we all should strive to be – a great, abundant, generous, warm and tirelessly running faucet of humanity and grace.”

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat Pray Love”