A menstrual hygiene report carried out in Uganda showed that girls in rural areas miss 3 to 5 days of school each month during their menstrual periods, staying home using strips of toilet paper or old rags. This leads to poor school performance and eventually school dropouts

A menstrual hygiene report carried out in Uganda showed that girls in rural areas miss 3 to 5 days of school each month during their menstrual periods, staying home using strips of toilet paper or old rags. This leads to poor school performance and eventually school dropouts.

In Ntungamo SW Uganda where we are located we  spoke to 1175 girls across 12 secondary schools  and discovered that  On average:

• 53% of the girls didn’t know what menstruation was before they experienced it
• 61% of the girls have felt ashamed or embarrassed due to their periods
• 42% of the girls interviewed miss 2.6 days of school during their periods because they don’t have access to sanitary products which impacts negatively in their performance.
• Students change their sanitary products every 9 hours.
• 48% of the students feel bad or very bad during their MPs
• 73% of the students use reusable pads but on average they change them every 9 hours which is not hygienic or healthy
• 13% of the students use reusable sanitary pads at school and a cloth at home
• 9.1% of the students use a cloth
• 4.4% of the students use leaves, mattress stuffing, toilet paper or nothing at all

Our soluition is to offer a sustainable alternative to disposable pads, which most women and girls in rural areas cannot afford anyway, but also which represent an environmental issue where there is little to no sanitation service. Improperly discared pads are a health risk and add stigma that we are trying to help girls break

The Days for Girls Kit last up to 3 years if properly cared for and gives back 6 months of living in those 3 years of use (based on a 5 day month menses).. That is 180 days of education, health, safety and dignity.

Each kit contains: 2 moisture barrier shields, 8 absorbent tri-fold pads, 1 plastic bag (effective for transporting soiled items and soaking and laundering items with little water), 1 visual instruction sheet and 1 drawstring bag to carry her kit to school without being ashamed. 

To donate to this initiative please visit our Virgin Money Page

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/sanitarypads4girls

Our team of 3 local seamstress will be delighted to make the kits you kindly donate to our program. In their name and the name of all girls and women in Ruhanga: THANK YOU for your donations