Stop Period Poverty for Girls in Morocco

Hi Friends! We are sending gratitude to You, our supporters!

Your donation allows Project Soar to tackle period poverty and menstrual insecurity by distributing shame-free, eco-friendly period supplies to teen girls living in underserved rural areas throughout Morocco and providing them with menstrual awareness and education! It is also thanks to you that Soar Girls have access to a brighter future filled with opportunities! 

According to official data, 20% of the Moroccan population lives under the line of poverty, with less than 1$/day, and teen girls from low income communities have financial barriers to purchasing period supplies. As a result, girls often miss days of school each month, causing them to fall behind in their classes and sometimes even drop out of school altogether. Project Soar provides them with reusable menstrual kits that will take care of them for three years. As a result, girls are no longer forced to skip school because they are unable to buy pads. Additionally, we are also committed to tackle stigmas that surround menstruation in rural Morocco, through a comprehensive menstrual workshop that has been reviewed and approved by the UNFPA. Girls are encouraged to know and understand their bodies. Hundreds of girls are now more confident and aware of their bodies as well as their potential and power even during their period. Thank You!

“Before I learned how to manage my menstruation at Project Soar, my mom and I used to think that taking a shower during our menstruation was not healthy. When I learned that it is totally the opposite, I told my mom and encouraged her to tell other women, too, so they can know how to take care of their bodies properly.” - Khadija, 15 years old Soar Girl

It's a frequent misconception in Morocco to think that women shouldn't bathe or take a shower while they're menstruating. Not only is this false, but it has a negative impact on girls’ hygiene during their period. False myths like this one can compromise teen girls’ health!

Thank you again for your support. Period kits help keep girls stay in school, increase their confidence, and reduce the risk of child marriage and teen pregnancy! Never doubt you are making a difference!

Warmest wishes, 

Project Soar team

 Hello Friends,

As always, we are sending gratitude to you, our supporters! With your contribution to the GlobalGiving Stop Period Poverty project, Project Soar has provided 1,234 eco-friendly, shame free, hygienic period supplies to 617 Soar Girls across Morocco for the 2021/22 cohort. These girls now have the confidence to manage their menstruation and stay in school.

Teen girls in rural, underserved communities in Morocco struggle to access affordable menstrual products as they often live on less than $1/day and attend under-resourced schools with poor hygiene infrastructure. On top of these setbacks, misinformation of menstrual hygiene is rife, with stigma and misconceptions commonplace. This leaves marginalized girls lacking basic information about their normal bodily functions and a lack of tools to hygienically manage their menstruation.

It is in this environment the Project Soar empowerment curriculum acts as a changemaker, as Menstrual education forms part of the central empowerment module, Body. In this holistic module, Soar girls have the opportunity to learn about their monthly cycle and associated physical and mood changes, plus increase their awareness on mental health and puberty. This all endorses period positivity as girls have a safe space to share their experiences and learn healthy habits.

Accessing this menstrual education shows proven empowerment for Soar teen girls, as seen in this year’s impact data. We are delighted to see a vast improvement in girls’ understanding of their bodies and menstruation as a result of their learnings in the Body module. We found that upon completing the program, Soar girls increased understanding of their period and bodies, compared to the start of the program they were more likely to agree with the following statements: 

I know how to handle my period.

I know the names of my body parts, including those involved with menstruation.

I have the supplies I need to handle my period in a clean and healthy manner.

We are so proud of our Soar girls affirming these statements into their sense of self, and are able to take forward these learnings to lead healthy habits for life. This change in thinking is proudly seen by the girl’s mothers, as told by one mother in an interview:

"Before, she wouldn’t dare come to me to ask for money to buy pads. But now, she talks to me and comes to me and says 'mom, I got my period; I need money to buy pads and other [menstrual products]'." - Mother of a Soar Girl

With every step you take in supporting Soar girls learning about their bodies, you enable the stigma to be broken and girls to unleash newfound understanding of how to live in a Period Positive way! Never doubt the change you can create by supporting this impactful cause.

Warmest wishes,

The Project Soar Team

Links:

• Project Soar website