Stand up to give young teen girls a chance to better education

Did you know that in Uganda, what should be a right of passage into womanhood is often a gateway to dropping out of school, sexual harassment and early marriages?

In developing countries, the issues regarding menstruation and lack of access to sanitary products are often kept silent. Poor families must face the choice of whether to buy pads for their adolescent daughter or food for their family. Most young girls and even their families are unable to afford proper sanitary napkins. As a result, young girls are using unhealthy materials such as cloth rags, sponge pieces, as well as rolled up pieces of newspaper to manage their period.

Most often, most girls face the embarrassment of blood leaking through their clothes (spotting). Besides “spotting”, the use of unhealthy sanitary materials can still lead to infections and even cervical cancer. This lack of protection leads many girls to miss up to five days of school and work each month, with many forced to drop out of school entirely hence forced to marry at a tender age, and or develop reproductive infections. Absenteeism due to menstruation - because girls do not have access to sanitary pads, can also lead to falling grades – accelerating illiteracy among women in poor communities.

This project will not only ensure retention and increase the chance of academic success for Ugandan girls in primary schools but also seek to promote earth friendly solutions. Quite often in Uganda and else where in less developed countries, trash is tossed on the ground both in and outside of the city. As you can imagine, a weeks worth of used pads would not go unnoticed on the dirty roads of a rural village. Reusable menstrual pads have no harmful effect on the environment if properly cared for, can be reused for up to 12 months, hence reduced environmental pollution.

Are you a supporter for girl child education, women’s health and rights? Join us wherever you are to provide menstrual kits and reproductive health awareness to young teen girls in primary schools to reduce the rate of dropouts. Through project Luhwahwa Youth Development Foundation (LUYODEFO) focuses on making menstruation an easier and healthier experience for young girls to continue schooling and also seek environment friendly solutions by avoiding used pad disposal on insufficient land!

If you need more information on or would like to support this project, feel free to contact Ms Biira Sylvia, Chairperson- LUYODEFO via e-mail: luyodefo@hotmail.com