Empower 2500 girls in Tanzania: Sew self made pads

Towards creating a cleaner, safer, and more period-friendly school environment for girls at Irkisongo Secondary School through comprehensive menstrual health and hygiene education and access to menstrual hygiene products, we also constructed and officially launched the  first and new handwashing facility outside the school toilets. The facility has eight taps and will serve more than 1,800 girls. While this facility does not fully meet the school’s growing water and hygiene needs, it is an important step toward bringing water closer to students and making handwashing more accessible after using the toilets and throughout their daily school routines.

Access to water is particularly important for girls menstrual hygiene and overall wellbeing. The new facility provides a convenient place for girls to wash their hands and maintain better hygiene while managing their periods with confidence at school. Although eight taps cannot fully meet the needs of more than 1,800 girls, they will contribute to improving daily hygiene practices and creating a more supportive environment where girls can manage menstruation with greater comfort, confidence and dignity.

The launch of the handwashing facility goes beyond providing water, it builds on our ongoing menstrual health and hygiene education and access to menstrual hygiene products, helping address both knowledge and practical hygiene needs. With continued support from donors and partners, the project aims to build on this progress by expanding access to water, sanitation facilities, menstrual hygiene education and products. Together, these efforts are helping create a period school environment where girls can learn, participate, and manage their menstruation safely, confidently and pursue their dreams with dignity.