By Ramie Abounaja | Project Financial Leader
We have been busy busy here at GW GlobeMed and have some exciting news to share with all of our amazing followers! First let me begin with a recap. This past summer, GlobeMed students and Set Her Free’s staff have been hard at work reevaluating the pad program that started just over two years ago. This May marked the third GROW (Grassroots on-site work) internship trip made by five GlobeMed students to visit Set Her Free in Kampala. During their visit, the students focused on documenting the stories of Set Her Free participants, following up with Set Her Free alumni, and evaluating the pad program. This onsite work was extremely valuable in order to make improvements to the program.
Pad Program Update
In the most recent pad distribution, over 200 pad kits were distributed to primary and secondary girls at the Glory of Christ Primary School. This figure is nearly double of what was distributed our first distribution. Each kit included a soap bar, six reusable pads, and a handcrafter carrying kit by the women of Set Her Free. To further improve the pad program, GlobeMed and Set Her Free are exploring the possibility of expanding what is already offered in the sanitary pad kits to include a razor. On GROW, the school girls expressed that shaving was difficult for them and sometimes stayed home or were late to class because of shaving related problems. We are also conducting research into alternative pads that are longer lasting and that are easier to maintain. Due to poor water conditions, pads were often conceived as being dirtier than normal. Feedback from the girls and their teachers are essential to how we will proceed with the program moving forward and will be further outlined in an upcoming distribution and follow up report. Next year, we hope to expand to a new school and come up with an improved alternative to the pads. Overall, the program was successful, with a very small percent of students leaving or missing school due to their menstruation.
Upcoming Months: Set Her Free Spotlights and A New Project (NOW LIVE)!
Set Her Free and Globemed have been hard at work to establish the newest addition of the vocational training, a tailoring center. This tailoring center will broaden the knowledge of the women in the program and also provide a safe working environment and practice to those that would like to excel. The shop and learning center is already in motion and will help promote the self sustainability of Set Her Free. A site has been rented and the machinery is being moved in as we speak. The generosity of the United States Embassy of Uganda helped put the gear in motion on this project. There is still much much more that needs to be done, and we hope that you are able to donate to this project.
We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!
Best Regards,
The GlobeMed Team
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