Gender Equality Uganda Project #39549

Provide Sanitary Pads to Women and Girls in Uganda

by Volunteer Action Network

Provide Sanitary Pads to Women and Girls in Uganda

Project Report | Jun 3, 2022
You Are Breaking the Stigma Around Menstruation

By Bukenya Muusa | Project Leader

Distribution of sanitary pads at school

In the first two months after Gloria began menstruating, she missed school at least three days each month. "I feared being laughed at again, and I had no access to proper pads," she says.

Her experience is typical for girls and women in Uganda, who experience difficulties in managing their periods at home, at school, or at work. In addition to lacking hygienic menstrual products, they often don't have access to clean water and sanitation and, perhaps most critically, information about menstruation.

Menstruation remains a taboo subject in Uganda, If it is discussed at all, many girls are taught that periods are shameful and should not be talked about openly. As a result, when these girls start to menstruate, they are forced to improvise their own products, often resorting to unsanitary old rags and pieces of cloth.

We are addressing this gap using three fronts, providing sanitary pads to school girls and women, conducting menstrual health education and creating awareness. This year alone we have distributed over 2,673 Pads enabling young girls to stay in school and women concetrating at their work place, this has reduced absenteeism both at school and work place leading to improved perfomance for school girls.

Together we are making a difference and we are committed to continue breaking the stigma around menstruation and supplying quality sanitary pads to young girls in Uganda. Your generous donation makes all this possible. A donation of $250 enable supplies for 50 girls for 3 months would you help us to multiply our impact donate today.

Thank you

Breaking the stigma

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Feb 3, 2022
Because of you we remained Connected

By Bukenya Muusa | Project Leader

Community Voices

Uganda re-opened its schools on Monday 10^th January 2022 after the longest pandemic-prompted shutdown in the world, the closing has taken a lasting toll, eroding decades of classroom gains in Uganda. Up to a third of students, many of whom took jobs during the pandemic to support their struggling families, may not return to the classroom. Thousands of schools, themselves under financial stress, are not expected to reopen their doors. And countless teachers will not come back either, having turned to other work after losing their income during the shutdown. Unless there are intensive efforts to help students catch up, “we may have lost a generation.”

One of the most crucial and challenging aspects of the recent period has been keeping in touch with girls, 20% of whom in our program are missing from school.

In response to the challenges that have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic. For many girls, school is more than just a key to a better future. It’s a lifeline. The number of girls who might not return to school due to COVID-19’s unprecedented education disruption is alarming, but also threatens decades of progress made towards gender equality, puts girls at risk of adolescent pregnancy, early and forced marriage, and violence.

We are supporting girls to stay connected remain safe and supported, providing them with sanitary products and menstrual health information through our Gulu Women resource Center, we are providing access to reproductive health information, counseling and mentorship, with a 24/7 toll free service to respond to GBV related cases

Your geneous support you helped us to keep our center stay open and provide servives to girls and women in the commuity. We will continue moving forward to make sure no girl is left behid.

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Sep 23, 2021
7 DAYS WOULD HAVE BEEN A CELEBRATION

By Bukenya Muusa | Project Leader

Rebeca at School Receiving pads

“My first period came when I was 13 in the middle of lesson at school - says Rebeca, 16, from Gulu in Northern Uganda. “When I saw blood on my knickers, I rushed to ask my friend where it was coming from. She said I had started menstruating, but I didn’t understand what she meant.”

Rebecca was advised to have a bath and tell her mother about what had happened. “My mother told me not to play with boys again because I have now grown,” says Rebeca. “When I asked her about the pads, she told me she uses Old cloths and I should use the same. I got a cloth we were no longer using, tore it into pieces, washed it and dried it properly. That’s how I managed my first period and for the long time to follow, at times my school dress got stained and students laughed at me”

Rebeca further asked her friends about managing their periods. “Some told me they use rags, others said they use disposable pads but my parents refused to buy me sanitary pads. Fearing I would stain my school dress, I decided not to go back to school until my periods are done”

Unaware, her period was set to last for longer than days, Rebeca was shocked when the bleeding continued. “It took a full week - 7 school days I missed classes. I was forced to go back to my mother and ask for pads again as I got bruises every time, I used cotton cloth. She still refused. That’s when I started doing manual labour, digging for people, to earn money for pads. When I failed to earn enough, I started using rags again.”Rebeca now has access to sanitary pads through the Healthy Periods initiative implemented by Volunteer Action Network

Volunteer Action Network supports 600 girls with sanitary pads on a monthly basis making sure they stay in school and concentrate on their studies something that has improved their self-esteem and performance in class. We are committed to continues the production and distribution of pads, educate and creating awareness about period poverty and its side effects. We relly heavily on your generoug contribution to make access to sanitary pads a reality to girls and women in Norther Uganda. We kindly ask for your donation towards make Heathy Periods Initative continue reaching deserving girls and women.

Students Receiving pads at school

Jeniffer Dedicates her full time producing pads

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