Although I cannot explain why, I was so moved by this school and these girls -- their personal stories made me cry but their smiles warmed my heart -- I know that I was there for a reason and I was meant to do something with these feelings.

Since not everyone can visit a hospital, Edna now wants to take the hospital to the people by training a large cadre of "barefoot midwives" who will travel from village to village to offer their medical services.

Healthy mothers have a powerful ripple effect. To save a mother is to save a family. And to save a family is to lay the foundation for stronger communities and more stable nations.

From the rural villages in northern Uganda to the bustling city of Kampala, poverty-fighting programs have something notable in common: they demonstrate how integrated programming can help achieve sustainable changes in the lives and women, men and their families.

International Women's Day is a perfect occasion to reflect on the evolution of global health for women -- and remember that even a tiny drop of vinegar or HPV vaccination administered to a young girl can be the catalyst to save a woman's life.