Reproductive health is a sensitive issue in many parts of the world – especially where religion, culture, and traditions are involved. However, there is no denying that it is important to empower women to make proper choices for themselves and their family. Pathfinder International is an organization that believes that controlling one’s reproductive health leads to healthier families and better communities. 

The organization has led projects in Africa, South America, and Asia. Their community-based family-planning programs in Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and Uganda have met with great success. Meanwhile, Pathfinder International has also conducted noteworthy AIDS-awareness campaigns in Brazil, Kenya, Mozambique, India, and other at-risk countries. The list of their work and accomplishments extend beyond the above-noted; the organization adapts its programs to the needs of the local communities that it serves.

There is a perception that organizations like Pathfinder International are relatively new, because of the complex and sensitive nature of their work. It is interesting to note that, in the case of PI,  family-planning assistance was available as far back as 1920. It was then that the organization's founder, Dr. Clarence Gamble, saw the need to educate women and couples about contraception. He launched what is known as the community-based model, which is still a program that Pathfinder follows to this day.

In 1957, the Pathfinder Fund was founded. Over the years, the pioneering organization has taken difficult positions over several decades for the good of women, couples, and families. They've provided high-quality health services in both the United States and in difficult-to-reach communities in the developing world. It’s not surprising that their work was highlighted in 1996, when the organization received the United Nations Population Award.