Robin Lim named 2011 CNN Hero of the Year

Robin Lim wins 2011 CNN Hero of the Year

Filipino-American midwife Robin Lim was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year in a star-studded ceremony Sunday evening at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, U.S.A.

"Ibu Robin" ("Mother Robin" in the local language) founded the Yayasan Bumi Sehat (Healthy Mother Earth Foundation) health clinics, which offers free maternal healthcare to thousands of poor women in Indonesia. Since 2003, Lim and her team have been working to combat the high maternal and infant mortality rates in the Asian country.

Fifty-four-year-old Lim was born to a Filipino mother and an American father and was raised in the Philippines.

"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 had been quoted saying.

The CNN Hero of the Year was chosen based on the results of a 11-week public vote on CNN's website. As the winner, Lim's cause received $250,000 in addition to the $50,000 that she and the rest of the top 10 CNN Heroes each received for making the top 10.

Now on its fifth year, the multi-platform campaign honors individuals from around the world who go an extra mile to help others. More than 10,000 submissions from over 100 countries were sent this year.

Two years ago, Filipino Efren Peñaflorida received the same recognition for his Kariton classroom project, which brought the classrooms to children in the streets.