Build a Youth Community Center to Empower Girls

Dear supporters,

We Did It! Three Exciting Milestones to Celebrate

We’re delighted to share three exciting updates made possible through the generosity of our supporters, the commitment of our local community, and the partnerships that help us create lasting change.

Our Youth Community Centre is complete!

After months and months of fundraising, searching for suitable land, developing building designs, and working through the necessary council paperwork and permits, we’re thrilled to confirm that the construction of our Youth Community Centre has been successfully completed.

This is a significant milestone for our organization and the community we serve. The centre will provide a safe, supportive space where young people can learn, grow, connect with others, and access important opportunities. We look forward to seeing the difference this space will make as we continue working to support young people in our community.

460 reusable sanitary pads made and distributed to 90 girls

We’re also excited to share the results of our first reusable sanitary pad-making pilot, carried out in partnership with Siesupcycled and the Tubombelepamo group.

As part of this initiative, the women successfully produced 460 reusable sanitary pads, which were distributed to 90 girls at Linda South Community School.

Access to safe and reliable menstrual products is essential for girls’ health, confidence, and education. For many girls, managing their periods can be a challenge, sometimes leading to missed school days and feelings of embarrassment or discomfort. Reusable sanitary pads offer a practical, sustainable solution that can help girls manage their periods with greater dignity and confidence, while supporting regular school attendance.

The initiative has also created valuable opportunities for the women involved. Through the partnership, the Tubombelepamo group developed practical pad-making skills and demonstrated how community-led initiatives can support girls while building local capacity.

Menstrual health education through the power of sport

Last month, we also had the pleasure of partnering with Play it Forward to host a menstrual hygiene workshop for girls participating in their soccer program.

More than just a lesson, the workshop created a safe, interactive space where girls could learn about menstrual health, share their experiences, and ask questions openly. The girls described the experience as “AWAKENING” — a powerful reminder of how important it is to create spaces where young people feel comfortable learning about their bodies and asking questions without embarrassment.

To wrap up the workshop, each girl received a reusable menstrual kit to support her. These kits were generously donated by Baobuyu Learning Centre in celebration of their 10-year anniversary. We’re incredibly grateful to Baobuyu for marking this special milestone by supporting girls in our community, and to Play it Forward for such a meaningful partnership.

By combining menstrual health education with access to reusable products, initiatives like this help girls build confidence, challenge stigma, and feel better equipped to manage their periods.

Building a stronger future together

From completing a dedicated space for young people to supporting girls’ menstrual health and empowering women with practical skills, these achievements show what is possible when communities, partners, and supporters come together.

Each initiative addresses a different need, but all share the same goal: creating opportunities for people in our community to thrive.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this work, whether through donations, partnerships, skills, or time. Your generosity is helping turn ideas into practical solutions and create positive, lasting change for young people and women in our community.

We’re excited about what lies ahead and look forward to sharing more updates with you soon. Thank you for being part of this journey! More to come soon!

Warm regards,

The African Impact Foundation