Give Morocco girls the menstrual kits by December

1. 800 Menstrual Kits

On December 11, local time in Morocco, PeaceWinds Korea worked with a local partner organization to prepare 800 menstrual kits to support girls exposed to unsanitary conditions after the earthquake in Morocco.

A total of 10 people, including six local volunteers and PeaceWinds Korea, worked together from 10am to 6pm to carry boxes of supplies, organize and pack the kits. They were all of different ages, regions and backgrounds, but all had the same desire to help the girls affected by the earthquake.

The menstrual kits consisted of three pads that can be reused for three years, two pairs of underwear, two pots of laundry soap, a bucket for washing, a pair of scrubbing gloves, and instructions on how to use the pads - components that had been determined in consultation with local partner organizations since October, when we heard directly from girls in the affected areas in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.

What makes this kit distribution unique is that it has never been done before by the Moroccan authorities, international organizations, or other aid groups. Local victims told us that while they had been provided with tents to live in, food and some hygiene kits, this was the only time they had been provided with reusable menstrual pads based on an ongoing needs assessment.

2. Visited a total of 4 schools in the Asni area

On the morning of the 12th, PeaceWinds Korea traveled to the town of Asni, where we spent the entire day and completed the distribution of kits to a total of four schools.

Asni is a small mountain village in the province of AI Haouz, one of the five provinces hardest hit by the Moroccan earthquake. Asni is located about 50 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake and, according to Moroccan authorities, was the hardest hit area, with 90% of the town collapsing in the quake.

The distribution of the kits was the same at all four schools in the following way. Girls simply gathered in an auditorium or playground to learn about the contents of the hygiene kit and how to use it, ask questions about menstruation, and briefly share their experiences before receiving their kits.

The first school was a primary and secondary school that started classes in October, as students from schools closer to the epicenter of the earthquake were relocated and the school was quickly prepared to open. Next, we visited one middle school and two elementary schools, completing the distribution of approximately 400, 350, 40, and 10 kits, respectively, for a total of 800 kits.

It is our sincere hope that the generosity of our supporters will give the victims of the Morocco earthquake the courage and strength to overcome these challenges.