One of the many challenges girls in rural Uganda face is regular access to menstrual hygiene products. This issue is quite significant for girls from poor families who struggle to provide food and pay for school fees. Not being able to access menstrual hygiene product means missing up to 5 days of school a month or drop out of school completely.
In 2022, HEAL International embarked on a fundraising program to provide reusable menstrual pad kits to the most vulnerable girls in the schools we work in. Through the generosity of our supporters, we raised funds to provide 250 girls with menstrual hygiene kits that included 5 reusable (washable) pads, 2 pairs of underwear and 2 bars of soap. Each kit, which came at a cost of $11 per girl, gives her confidence that she can manage her periods and remain in school.
Through local volunteers and the Peer Education Rwenzori staff in Uganda, we were able to distribute these pads to the poorest girls in 10 secondary schools in September 2022. Below are some photos of this distribution. Our hope and wish are to continue to fundraise each year to support needy girls to manage their periods and remain in school.
