Established in 2012, the organisation partners with grassroots, women-led organisations across the globe to deliver education, vocational training, and mentoring – equipping women and girls with the tools they need to exit poverty for good and brings others with them.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation persistently impacted by conflict, poverty, and disease, WONDER Foundation has forged a transformative partnership focused entirely on training the healthcare professionals the country desperately needs. Since 2015, WONDER has worked with ISSI (Institut Supérieur en Sciences Infirmières), the leading nursing institution in the DRC, to support women and girls pursuing careers as nurses and midwives.
The DRC faces an acute healthcare crisis: with one of the world's highest maternal mortality rates and a health system heavily reliant on poorly trained nurses, the need for quality healthcare professionals is critical. WONDER's partnership with ISSI directly addresses this challenge supporting talented young women to access quality vocational training. WONDER has supported hundreds of young women through the three-year nursing training programme, equipping them with the advanced, evidence-based skills needed to transform healthcare delivery in their communities.
ISSI has pioneered the DRC’s first midwifery training programme that meets international standards, opening the door for many more women to access safe maternal healthcare. This is a significant step forward for infant and maternal health in a country where qualified midwives are in short supply. The team is now preparing to launch a full undergraduate degree in Midwifery, offered as a distinct specialisation from nursing, which will strengthen the professional pipeline even further.
Additionally, WONDER has supported the development of an online training platform reaching 1,200 working nurses nationally, ensuring that healthcare professionals across the nation can upgrade their skills.
"I am very grateful to ISSI for the support I received, and I hope that many more young girls like me will be able to benefit from similar scholarships and fulfil their dreams. Congo needs so many good nurses. It would save so many lives."
– Sarah, former ISSI nursing student
Through strategic investment in nursing and midwifery education, WONDER Foundation is rebuilding the DRC's healthcare capacity and empowering women to become agents of change in their nation's health system.
Learn more about their work
here.
