Slum Girls: End Period Poverty in Nairobi slums!

Challenge

In Nairobi, girls and women living in the slums cannot afford to buy hygiene products and do not have access to adequate hygiene during the menstrual period. Some girls are forced to engage in exploitative activities in exchange for these products. Myths and taboos deeply ingrained in their society often lead girls to drop out of education entirely from embarrassment. Living in metal shacks without toilets and running water, the girls suffer in silence.

Solution

Our goal is to give all 340 of our girls the education and opportunity to manage their menstrual period more easily, without missing precious days of school. We distribute free sanitary pads to girls who attend our schools in the slums and in the Maasai community of Rombo. We give gynecological, psychological, and social assistance to victims of abuse, and provide menstrual information to dispel the myths. Most importantly, we strive to improve the girl's health and well-being.

Long-Term Impact

This project will help limit the educational dropout rate among girls by providing support during their menstrual cycles and contribute to community awareness regarding topics of sexuality, menstrual education, and the female body. We can provide gynecological and emotional care for girls who have been victims of abuse and help them feel more confident about their bodies. The project will focus on 340 girls in our schools but, through relatives, has the potential to reach 1,500 women.

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources

• https:/​/​www.aliceforchildren.it