Empower 200 mothers and 1,000 girls in Kenya

"Now that my daughter has [sanitary] pads, she speaks up in the house and teaches me what she learns. She has found her voice." A mother in Siaya, Kenya, whose daughter would hide in the bushes during her menses, shared this revelation with us. Her daughter is now able to attend school every day because she has the supplies she needs during her menses.

The key to keeping Kenyan girls in school is to make sure they have the necessary supplies. Yes, pencils and tablets are important, but more important are sanitary pads. Without pads, the girls miss one week of school every month and miss out on vital education.

Last year One Village At A Time started giving the girls pads, but it took a full year before they told us that they were also missing the panties they needed to use the pads. It is difficult to comprehend poverty in which little girls do not have underpants. And it was not until they trusted us enough to tell us that we could change the situation.

In the schools where girls received pads and panties, we've found that they are more confident; they feel empowered to speak up in class. They also teach their mothers about reproductive health. When you educate a girl, you change the life of the village!

Thanks to GlobalGiving, we can now equip our girls with the panties and sanitary pads they need ... and all the girls in our 3 schools can attend school every day. Thank you for helping our girls find their voices!

For more, please check out this video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op0gklYqCrA&feature=share&list=UUmQUKYHGJ4n4wJUCCkTpFgw

Links:

• One Village At A Time's website