IOWD

11/02/2026

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we recognize the women who are advancing healthcare not just through research, but through direct clinical impact.

IOWD was founded by Barbara A. Margolies, whose commitment to science-based, sustainable surgical care for women laid the foundation for our long-term partnership in Rwanda. Her leadership continues to shape a model grounded in clinical excellence, clinician empowerment, and system strengthening.

Today, women represent a powerful majority of IOWD’s volunteer network. They are surgeons, nurses, educators, and leaders applying science directly to patient care and capacity building.

Their work spans:
👩🏽‍⚕️ Obstetric fistula repair
🧪 Cervical cancer screening and prevention
📚 Clinician education and mentorship
🏥 Sustainable surgical system strengthening

Science becomes transformative when it is placed in the hands of committed women leaders. 👏🏼

Today, we honor the women across our volunteer network, and the founder who set the standard, for turning expertise into measurable impact.

Follow, share, support as we continue expanding care, opportunity, and hope for women and families.

This is our journey…
Engage. Support. Join The Work.

05/02/2026

A love letter to our January volunteers ❤️

You gave your time.
You gave your expertise.
You gave your whole hearts.

Between long days, early mornings, and moments that mattered deeply - you showed up.

For patients.
For partners.
For each other.

This post holds our gratitude. Thank you for choosing service, compassion, and impact.

Thank you for carrying the mission of International Organization for Women and Development with such integrity and pride.

Follow, share, and support IOWD as we continue expanding care, opportunity, and hope for women and families.

This is our journey where we encourage you to…
Engage. Support. Join The Work.

📥 contact@iowd.org
🌍 www.iowd.org

31/01/2026

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and still one of the deadliest for women globally. Nearly 94% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where access to screening and early treatment remains limited (WHO, 2022).

This January, Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, we are highlighting how prevention becomes possible when systems are strengthened - not just services delivered.

Through long-term partnerships in , International Organization for Women and Development has focused on sustainable cervical cancer prevention by:

📚 Training and empowering nurses to lead screening and early detection
🩺 Integrating screening into routine women’s health services
🛣️ Strengthening referral pathways for timely diagnosis and treatment
🤝 Reducing reliance on short-term missions through local capacity building

These efforts are shifting detection earlier, expanding access, and embedding prevention into the health system where it belongs.

🎗️ Cervical cancer is preventable.
💝 Sustained investment, skilled healthcare workers, and equitable access determine who benefits.
🏥 When screening reaches women, lives are saved

28/01/2026

“Do what makes you happy” only works when health makes happiness possible.

26/01/2026

26/01/2026

26/01/2026

Today marks the official kickoff of our 2026 missions in Rwanda and the energy is unmistakable! 🎉 We’re on the ground in Kigali, and surgeries start today. 👏🏼

Months of planning have turned into action. The ORs are ready. The team is locked in. There’s a real buzz here…focused, energized, and deeply committed to the work ahead. 💫

Over the next two weeks, our surgeons, nurses, educators, and local partners will do what they do best: show up, work side by side, and deliver care that matters in Rwanda.

🇷🇼 This is why we return.
🇷🇼 This is the work.
🇷🇼 And it starts now.

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19/01/2026

19/01/2026

Mission Makers aren’t only the ones in scrubs or in the OR.

They are the people who donate, share our work, speak about it, partner with us, and believe ❤️sometimes quietly ❤️ that women everywhere deserve access to safe, dignified care.

Every mission is powered by a community of supporters who help turn compassion into action and possibility into reality.

If you’ve ever supported IOWD in any way, this post is for you 👏

And if you’re wondering how you can help 💫 there’s a place for you here.

➡️ Swipe through to see 5 ways you can be a Mission Maker today because when people come together with purpose, real change happens.

14/01/2026

For 24 consecutive years, nurses have been ranked the most trusted 💪🏼 profession for honesty and ethics. That trust is not accidental. It was earned through generations of nurse leaders who set the bar high, led with integrity, and refused to compromise patient care. ❤️

At IOWD, this legacy is central to our work in . Strengthening nursing capacity is not just about training or workforce numbers. It is about developing as clinical leaders, educators, and stewards of trust within their health system. When nurses are supported and empowered, patient outcomes improve and systems become more resilient.

As healthcare grows more complex and technology-driven, trust remains human. Nurses carry it at the bedside, in classrooms, and across evolving health systems around the globe. 🌍

This is why investing in nursing education and leadership in Rwanda 🇷🇼 matters. It protects the integrity of care today and builds sustainable capacity for the future.

Nurses have once again been ranked the most trusted profession in Gallup’s annual Most Honest and Ethical Professions Poll for the 24th consecutive year

09/01/2026

In Rwanda, 18% of girls miss at least one week of school every month simply because they are menstruating.

Miss enough school, and many never return. Education stops. Futures narrow.

This is where matters.

Through a two-year partnership between and , we launched a pilot program at Chagugu Christian School supporting 25 thirteen-year-old girls.

The program combines practical supplies with education:

📢Honest conversations about puberty
💥Myth-busting around menstruation
🎯Clear messaging that menstruation is normal, not shameful

Each girl receives 3 pairs of ModiBodi period underwear, removing a major barrier to attending school consistently.

The objective is direct: keep girls in classrooms, protect their education, and give them the knowledge to navigate puberty with confidence.

As our most recent visit ended, the girls lined up to hug our team and say thank you. That response confirmed the impact.

Small interventions. Immediate results. Lasting change.

We are excited to return to visit the students in January 2026.

IOWD is actively seeking partners ~ brands, foundations, and organizations ~ ready to help deliver essential supplies and education to girls in Rwanda. Partnership here means girls staying in school, completing their education, and retaining control over their future.

Welcome to our journey where we encourage you to...
Engage. Support. Join The Work.

📩 contact@iowd.org
🌎 www.iowd.org

05/01/2026

If you’re new here, let us properly introduce ourselves. 👋

We are the International Organization for Women and Development (), and this is where women’s health, equity, and action come together.

IOWD was founded by Barbara Margolies, whose deep commitment to women’s health, compassionate care, and ethical global partnership continues to guide our mission and our work in the field.

We work alongside local partners in Rwanda to support life-changing surgical care, strengthen clinical education, and build healthcare systems designed to last. Our focus is not short-term aid, but long-term impact rooted in dignity, trust, and local leadership.

Every life touched reflects the dedication of healthcare professionals, volunteers, and supporters who believe access to quality care should never depend on geography.

Follow, share, and support IOWD as we continue expanding care, opportunity, and hope for women and families.

Welcome to our journey where we encourage you to...
Engage. Support. Join The Work.

📩 contact@iowd.org
🌎 www.iowd.org