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Girls holding underwear and pads. They are in a school room presenting to their female classmates.

Why Reusable Pads?

We’re helping young girls stay in school by giving them the tools to manage their menstrual cycles.

reusable pad graphic

The Problem

Period poverty is an epidemic in places where there is a lack of running water, access to menstrual products and sexual and reproductive health education. 

PERIOD POVERTY 

(noun)  is a lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these.

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Menstruation misinformation 

In Uganda girls are taught to be ashamed of their menstruation. This stigma has encouraged widespread misconceptions about menstruation and prevents women and girls from knowing and embracing their bodies. ​

of girls think menstration is a disease.

pie chart text reads, "65%."

​of girls believe pain during menstruation is unhealthy.​

Pie chart text reads, "70%."

​of girls think it is harmful for a woman to run or dance during her period. 

Pie chart text reads, "55%."
Sitting in a grass field a program leader speaking with a group of teenage girls in Uganda.
A teenage girl sitting alone next to a tree reading a textbook.
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Access to education

In Mbale 99% of schools do not have running water, working toilets, or soap for girls to properly manage their menstrual cycles.

of girls wanted to buy sanitary products from store but were unable to.

Pie chart text reads, "88%."

of girls bleed through their clothes because they lack proper menstrual tools. 

Pie chart text reads, "72%."

of girls miss school because of their period.

Pie chart text reads, "78%."

When girls miss school, they miss out on opportunities. This is what we call the cycle of period poverty.

cycle chart listing reads in the following order: Menstruation, missed school, fall behind in lessons and drops out, child marriage and/or teen pregnancy, limited opportunity for upward mobility and economic dependency.

That is where we come in, to break the cycle so girls can bleed with dignity. 

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Reusable Pad Program

We provide monthly in-school programming for girls in Mbale to accomplish two goals:

  • learn about menstruation from trained clinical staff.

  •  learn how to make reusable pads to effectively and economically manage their menstruation. 

During our training sessions we provide girls with the materials to construct reusable pads from the fabric to the sewing machines. Each girl leaves the session with three hand-made reusable pads and the opportunity to utilize our equipment and services at any time. 

Program manager Dorothy showing a local teacher how to make reusable pads.
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The Impact you make possible 

Here are the tangible ways you can help.

$20

$50

Fabric and water resistant material for two reusable pads.

Training for a group of girls on reusable pads.

$150

Host a training session at a school.

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