Girls in rural Tanzania miss an average of 20% of school each year, because they lack the sanitary supplies to attend when they are menstruating. Africa Schoolhouse is launching programming at Milembe Secondary School to teach girls basic sewing skills to create kits of washable and reusable fabric pads and liners, providing a positive, sustainable, and empowering solution to combat this unnecessary barrier to education.
Girls face such hardships on their road to education. Can you imagine not being able to go to school because you lack sanitary supplies during your period? This is the reality faced by girls in Tanzania. This program will empower girls by helping them to learn a new skill, allow for precious uninterrupted learning, and perhaps most importantly, help instill confidence and body positivity for all participants. Each girl will also teach others how to make the kit, creating exponential impact.
With the purchase of sewing machines, each girl will learn to sew her own washable and reusable fabric pads and liners. These will make it possible for girls to attend school during their periods! Your funds will go toward the purchase of 10 sewing machines, fabric and sewing notions, and supplies to add to each kit including bars of soap, washcloths, and several pairs of underwear. Sewing machines used for the project will become part of Home Economic classes at Milembe School.
Attending school is critical to a girl's success in completing her education. Studies have shown the resounding impact of girls' education in helping to end global poverty. UNESCO reported that secondary education for girls reduces child marriages by 64% and reduces early birth by 59%. In the United Republic of Tanzania, a secondary education reduces extreme poverty by 60%.
This project has provided additional documentation in a XLSX file (projdoc.xlsx).
