Selamawit Lake Fenta, a midwife from Ethiopia, would like to change a lot of things about her profession — including its name in her country. And she has made an impact in another crusade: fair pay.

Dawit Tamiru knew he wanted to be a midwife when he was just about 10 years old. It started the day his mother gave birth to his younger sister. After the little girl arrived something wasn't right: ...