We are enabling 500 girls from poor communities Northern Malawi to stay in school throughout the school term through provision of reusable pads. We are also providing skills training for 20 rural women to make the pads for to sell some pads to buy their basic needs and to produce some for Project. The reusable pads can be properly fastened and ensure that a girl comfortably stays in school during her menstrual cycle. $1000 can provide 2 pads for the 500 girls to last for two years.
Menstrual poverty is one of key factors that contributes to the high school drop out rate of girls in Malawi's primary school. Research shows that 7 in 10 girls who start standard 1 in Malawi drop out by standard five. The girls are forced to miss at about six weeks of school days each year due to lack of menstrual items. Girls among poor rural areas in Northern Malawi cannot afford to buy a packet of pads at $1 every month and are forced to use dirty old rags which fall or leak in class.
This Project will give 1000 reusable pads costing $2 to 500 vulnerable school girls in Mzimba District. Through the Project, three volunteers will also provide career guidance, HIV and AIDS awareness and Gender Based Violence prevention awareness mentorship to 2000 girls who will also be indirect beneficiaries of the programme at the same schools. Exactly 500 ultra-poor will receive the 1000 pads, two for each girl. The pads will be made by 20 local women who will get training and support.
The 500 girls will perform better in school and have a chance of completing school. This will also improve the health of these girls through good menstrual hygiene and delay child-bearing as they will spend their days in school. About 200 women will have improved personal financing and household wellbeing as they will have gained skills and capital to supply the pads to the project and to sell to other customers.
