By Rose Hennessy | Operations Manager
Thank you for donating to this project supporting Menstrual Health programme in schools and in the community and helping ensure that girls get to stay in school. When girls get to finish their education, they have more choices and more opportunities in life.
Your support of this project is all the more valued and vital now as youth across the communities we work with are at risk. Their chance to live a healthy life, finish school, become independent and break out of the cycle of poverty is under threat.
Incidents of sexual gender based violence have jumped by 70% resulting in a rise in cases of new HIV infections with twice as many girls as boys testing positive. 55% of girls drop out of school between primary and secondary. 1 in 10 girls aged 15 -19 are becoming mothers.
The statistics are shocking and this is a challenge of inequality affecting the most vulnerable and threatening all progress to break the cycle of poverty for the next generation.
In response, we have expanded the programme in schools during the past year to provide education for girls and boys on all aspects of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights including Menstrual Health. We train teachers to facilitate the programme and students form clubs and share what they learn with their peers. We provide sustainable reusable sanitary kits for the girls and support infrastructure to ensure schools have access to clean water, girls and boys have enough toilets and washrooms.
During 2023, 106 teachers were trained to facilitate the programme across 20 schools and they have chosen 50 students (25 girls and 25 boys) to form clubs in each school. The teachers train the students and will work with them throughout the year to explore various topics including adolescent growth & development, sexual and gender based violence, HIV/Aids, healthy relationships and menstrual health.
The students will also learn about income generation so that they can generate funds in their school to make the provision of reusable sanitary kits more sustainable. So far, 98 teachers across 20 schools have completed this training. The students will use new skills in saving, business and managing accounts to design an income generation project they can manage for their school.
The reusable sanitary kits contain underwear, soap, liners, an information pamphlet and reusable cotton pads as a ‘starter kit’ for girls. They learn how to make additional pads, liners and underwear using locally available materials and this equips the girls with the skills, ability and means to manage independently throughout their menstruation. Last year, ‘starter kits’ were distributed to 2,194 girls through school workshops.
Thank you for your support in making this happen.
By Rose Hennessy | Operations Manager
By Rose Hennessy | Brighter Communities Worldwide
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