Giving girls the confidence

Imagine attending a school without any drinking water. Imagine attending a school with a single latrine for all the students. Imagine trying to attend classes in these schools while you have your menstrual period. Imagine your menstrual period is extremely painful. Imagine your reuseable pad is soaked through but there is no running water to clean it. Imagine having your pad soaked through to your pants so you have to hide the stain with your book bag. And don’t forget this happens every month.

Working with the Batwa people, the founder of Redemption Song Foundation learned about the detrimental impact of the lack of menstrual supplies for girls in SW Uganda. Wendee found that few non-profit organizations address menstruation, what she believes to be one of the most important issues.

Various studies have showed that menstruation is the top reason girls miss school. One in 10 school-age African girls ‘do not attend school during menstruation, or drop out at puberty because of the lack of clean and private sanitation facilities in schools’, according to UNICEF.

In a survey conducted by FAWE in Uganda, 94 % of girls reported issues during menstruation and 61 % indicated missing school during menstruation. Without the means to buy supplies, many girls miss up to five days a month from school because of not having a reliable way to manage their periods.

There are nonprofit organizations whose aim is to help girl in need to manage their periods, stay healthy and stay in school. RSF is a nonprofit that is engaged in empowering the Batwa people in SW Uganda through education and livelihood projects.

Menstruation has been one of the factors affecting girl child education in Batwa, and RSF is trying to address it so that the girls can have access to menstrual hygiene products. The menstrual pad project is one of many parts of our Education program.

RSF has received 3-packs of "MoonPads" (Green Betty, Makers of Moonpads Reusable Menstrual Pads) from Annie Rose Shapero, and have given some to the Batwa of Kalehe village, some to older girls at Rugando Primary School and now the last ones to Buhoma Community High School.

Moon pads to RSF which was given to 13 Buhoma Community High School girls

We are currently working to secure fund to support the procurement of more pads as this is very small fraction of the many girls who need this pads and we looking for partners that can support us to provide this services to more schools.

When you donate to RSF, you’re not just providing free pads for girls in need. You’re supporting jobs for the local women who make the pads.

Donate $20 to RSF, and you’ll provide pads to five girls.

Help us raise $6000 to fund expansion & continuation of our Education programs through summer! Just 30 $100 donors will meet the goal. You can help by donating here.

REFERENCES

[1] What Do Menstruating Girls Need in Schools? (2013) Save the Children.

[2] Sanitation: the challenge. (2005) UNICEF. [3] Toolkit on Hygiene Sanitation & Water in Schools: Gender Roles and Impact (2005). World Bank.