Empower Women and Girls through Menstrual Health

Unless you're subscribed to this project's newsletter, you might not know that a girl's period could mean the end of her education. Yet that is exactly the case in Burkina Faso and many other developing nations where menstruation is a taboo subject, and resources for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) at schools are non-existent. Consequently, girls stay home, miss classes and exams, fall behind, and often drop out entirely.

In Burkina Faso, only 1% of girls complete their education.

With your help, BARKA Foundation is supporting girls in 7 high schools in Gourma Province to overcome this preventable situation, to end "period poverty" and to create "menstrual equity".

Today is International Menstrual Hygiene Day, a time to focus on raising global consciousness around this important issue to support girls' rights, education and empowerment. Earlier today, BARKA unveiled its first two "MHM Cabins", a new, simple and powerful resource that will provide over 2500 girls and women with a way to safely, privately and healthily address their menstrual needs at school. The cabins will be maintained by MHM Clubs at each school which BARKA's project leaders trained and will provide clean water, soap, a place to wash clothes and shower when necessary.  These basic resources are not provided for in girls' latrines or anywhere else in school, making the MHM cabins a vital resource for girls' menstrual health which BARKA has worked for the past 2 years to put in place.

Together we are breaking the silence and ending period poverty in Burkina Faso.
Thank you for your help and support of this important issue for girls to take control over their own bodies and health.