This March, Tanzania joins the world in commemorating International Women’s Day 2026 under the national theme: “Rights and Equality for Women and Girls: An Inclusive Foundation Towards Vision 2050.”

It is more than a celebration. It is a reminder of a simple truth: when women are supported, societies move forward.

Where this message comes alive

At the Ifakara Health Institute, this message is not just echoed—it is embodied.

For 70 years, Ifakara’s progress has carried the fingerprints of women everywhere. Women who advanced science and strengthened systems. Women who led departments, managed programmes, balanced budgets, prepared reports, organised records, cleaned office corridors, worked in the field, and ensured that research translated into real change for communities.

Seventy years. Countless contributions

As part of our 70th Anniversary celebrations, Ifakara will mark International Women’s Day with a week-long campaign honouring the women—past and present—who have shaped the Institute across seven decades.

Each day, we will spotlight key milestones and stories that reveal how women helped build, sustain, and move Ifakara forward.

Not always seen. Never absent

These are stories of women who showed up—consistently, courageously, and often quietly—to ensure that science serves society. They did not simply work at Ifakara.

They built it. They sustained it. They carried it forward.

The countdown begins

Join us throughout the week as we count down to International Women’s Day on March 8, celebrating the women of Ifakara—and the enduring legacy they continue to create. We’ll share exclusive stories that bring our women’s journey to life—revealing the legacy they have shaped, sustained, and passed on.

Effective tomorrow!