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The Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) Program

There are only three female surgeons for every 1 million people in low-income countries.

For 10 years, ReSurge International, a global health nonprofit, and SkinCeuticals, a L’Oréal company, have partnered to change that. The Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) program advances first-generation women reconstructive surgeons in low-income countries through surgical training, leadership development, mentorship and networking.

Since 2017, PWRS has trained 33 women surgeons and awarded 60 Matolase Mtonga Scholarships. Each surgeon will treat an estimated 10,000 patients over her career. When she goes on to train others, her impact grows to 400,000 lives across two generations of surgeons.

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Watch Our Award-Winning Documentary

A Place at the Operating Table is an award-winning documentary short showcasing the inspiring story of Dr. Thandi Munaiwe and the other remarkable women surgeons in the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) Program. Learn how ReSurge International and SkinCeuticals, are providing these heroes the resources and training they need to continue to break barriers, inspire others, and increase access to surgical care for those who need it most.

We Need More Women Surgeons

A simple, flat orange and white illustration of the Earth, showing parts of North America, South America, Europe, and Africa inside a circular border—perfect for highlighting Women in Reconstructive Surgery making a global impact.

Less than 1/3 of surgeons globally are female

A light gray donut chart with a single orange segment representing approximately 10% of the circle, illustrating the representation of Women in Reconstructive Surgery.

Women only make up 7% of the surgical workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa

A large white number 5 is centered inside an orange circle on a plain light gray background, symbolizing the achievements of Women in Reconstructive Surgery.

5 billion people around the world lack access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care

The image shows the "marie claire" logo in bold, lowercase, red letters on a white background, as featured in a ReSurge Press release.

Meet the Female Reconstructive Surgeons Who are, Quite Literally, Changing the World

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The 2026 Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery Cohort
A smiling surgeon, one of the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery, wearing a black scrub top and surgical cap with their arms crossed.

Dr. Daphine Ayikoru Ezati

Uganda

A Pioneering Woman in Reconstructive Surgery wears a black scrub top and surgical cap with her arms crossed against a light blue background.

Dr. Kim Mbewe Taonga

Zambia

A smiling woman, one of the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery, stands with her arms crossed against a light blue background while wearing black surgical scrubs and a matching cap.

Dr. Faith Atieno Omwono

Kenya

A smiling healthcare worker in black scrubs and a scrub cap representing Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery with arms crossed.

Dr. Faith Rutendo Makiwa

Zimbabwe

A smiling healthcare professional, one of the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery, wears a black scrub top and matching surgical cap with arms crossed.

Dr. Laxmi Kandel

NEPAL

A woman in black medical scrubs, a scrub cap, and glasses stands with her arms crossed, representing Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Moumita Acharya

India

A smiling healthcare professional and Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery member wearing a black scrub top and matching surgical cap with their arms crossed.

Dr. Nardos Tedla

Ethiopia

A Pioneering Woman in Reconstructive Surgery stands with arms crossed, wearing black scrubs and a scrub cap against a light blue background.

Dr. Natalie Muhia

KENYA

Meet the Surgeons
Text reading “7 Countries had the first-ever women plastic surgeons trained through the PWRS program,” followed by the national flags and names of Bhutan, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe for Women in Reconstructive Surgery.

“PWRS’s first decade shows what’s possible when we invest in women surgeons. Women in seven countries have become their nations’ first women plastic surgeons through PWRS. Each will treat an estimated 10,000 patients over her career, and as she trains the next generation, that impact grows to 400,000 lives. This is how we close both the gender gap in surgery and the gap in access to care.”

— Claire Lachance, President and CEO, ReSurge International

Frequently Ask Questions
What is The Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) Program

The Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery (PWRS) program is a partnership between ReSurge International, a global health nonprofit, and SkinCeuticals to advance first-generation women reconstructive surgeons in low-income countries across the world. This program aims to tackle the gender gap in global surgery by providing surgical training, leadership development, and mentorship for women surgeons in low-income countries. SkinCeuticals and ReSurge International started the PWRS program to change the landscape for women surgeons worldwide, enabling them to advance their careers and transform the lives of those in need of life-changing surgical care. We can never ensure equitable access to surgical care if we are only relying on half of the population to fulfill that need. Fundamentally, gender equity is a matter of justice. But also, it is an indispensable means to achieve universal access to surgical care. We believe in disrupting the long-standing structure of patriarchy in surgical fields by providing training, leadership development, mentorship and community to early-career women surgeons.

Five billion people do not have access to safe, timely, and affordable surgical care worldwide, and 18 million die every year from surgically preventable diseases. ReSurge International is a global nonprofit organization that gives people with surgically-treatable conditions in low-income countries a chance to lead fuller, healthier lives by training and funding local surgical teams to provide life-changing care. ReSurge pairs 50+ years of experience with an innovative capacity building model that is creating a ripple-effect of impact across economies, communities, and human lives. ReSurge works in 19 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and partners with some of the world’s leading experts in reconstructive surgery. Learn more at www.resurge.org.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery restores normal function from an accident or trauma, a congenital condition, or cancer. Traffic accidents, burns, missing digits, cleft palates, and cancer reconstruction are all common conditions reconstructive surgeons treat.

There is a massive global shortage of reconstructive surgeons. Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, only has 1 reconstructive surgeon per 10 million people. And of those surgeons, only 7% are women. To increase access to surgical care around the world, we must address the gender cap in medicine and global surgery.

We find that many of the barriers the women in our PWRS program face are universal to women in the workforce around the world. Research shows that women surgeons still face persistent discrimination throughout their career, disadvantages in career promotions, and substantial pay gaps. Globally, the picture is even worse. As of 2015, there were only three female surgeons for every 1 million people in low-income countries, meaning that often our PWRS women are the only women surgeons within their entire hospital systems.

If you would like to support this program you can help us by making a donation to ReSurge International and spreading the word about this important work. Make a donation at resurge.org/donate. If you would like to be a ReSurge International PWRS ambassador or mentor, reach out to info@resurge.org.

Donate at resurge.org/donate. Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to ReSurge International, a 501c3 organization. ReSurge International is a leading global surgery non-profit with 50+ years of history providing life-transforming reconstructive surgical care and training in low-income countries around the world. ReSurge is a Charity Navigator “Give with Confidence” Charity, has a Platinum transparency seal from GuideStar, and is a 20/20 BBB Wise Giving Alliance-rated charity.

If you would like to be a ReSurge International PWRS ambassador, reach out to info@resurge.org.

Reach out to info@resurge.org for information on how to apply

PWRS trainees come from low-income countries from all over the world. Past trainees have come from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ecuador, India, Malawi, Nepal, Tanzania, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The program offers each cohort two years of leadership development, didactic and hands-on clinical skills training opportunities, and mentorship.Through a dedicated leadership course, the PWRS women spend intensive time examining their leadership and personality styles, setting ambitious goals for their own career growth. These women face unique and steep obstacles as often the only woman surgeon sometimes within their hospital, and some even from within their entire country. This course gives them the tools to navigate complex challenges in the workplace to change perceptions and the landscape, paving the way for future generations of women surgeons.

When the women graduate from the two year program, we have seen a marked increase in their confidence, surgical skills, and leadership capabilities. Allowing them to continue working in their home communities to provide empathetic and world-class care to their patients and to advocate for change and lead within their hospital systems. Each powerful woman surgeon is a role model for her patients and her community, normalizing women in surgery and advancing the field. With more women surgeons in the field, the gap in access to surgical care reduces, allowing more patients to get the quality care they so desperately need. Beyond patient care, these PWRS women go on to mentor other young surgeons to encourage them to advance their careers as well. They join a growing community of a prestigious alumnae network of women surgeons around the globe. Continuing to stay in touch offering each other advice on cases and career growth.

To be eligible for the PWRS program, applicants must be from a low- or middle-income country as defined by the World Bank(https://data.worldbank.org/country/XO). Applicants must identify as a woman. Gender identity can refer to one’s self-identified gender, rather than birth-assigned sex; typically includes male, female, and transgender categories. This scholarship is intended for females, non-binary people identifying primarily as women, or transgender women. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a reconstructive surgical training program, and at a minimum must have completed medical school and surgical residency. They must be starting to or already focusing on reconstructive surgery. PWRS trainees must be committed to working in or serving in a low- or middle-income country to serve the patients with the greatest need for surgical care. If you would like to apply to the program, please reach out to info@resurge.org.

Honoring the Legacy of
Dr. Matolase Mtonga, 1987-2021

The late Dr. Matolase Mtonga of the PWRS program was on track to become Zambia’s first woman reconstructive surgeon. In honor of her perseverance, leadership, and aspirations for a world where no one suffered needlessly due to a lack of access to reconstructive surgical care, ReSurge and SkinCeuticals have established an annual scholarship in her name. The Matolase Mtonga Scholarship for Women in Reconstructive Surgery will be awarded annually to one woman from a low- or middle-income country training in reconstructive surgery.

Meet the Scholars
Apply Here