Affordable Sanitary Pads for 1500 Ugandan Girls

Summary

To develop sustainable production of locally produced eco-friendly sanitary pads, provide health education, latrines, washing facilities, and education to girls in Kabarole District, Uganda. progress reportread updates from the field

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Many rural Ugandan girls drop out of school at puberty because of a lack of sanitary pads, teen pregnancy and early marriage. Only 38% of today's kindergarten girls in Uganda will complete primary school. Only 13% will attend secondary school. This project will improve access to education for poor rural girls in Kabarole District, Western Uganda through peer education programs, improved sanitation and the self-sustainable production of locally produced, ecologically friendly sanitary pads.

Activities

We will keep girls in school which in turn will affect the entire community through local production of cheap, ecologically sound sanitary pads, training to student to act as peer leaders about reproductive health, and much more.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $26,080
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $173,920
Total Funding Goal: $200,000

Additional Documentation

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

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

This project will provide 1500 Ugandan girls with a sustainable source of affordable sanitary pads, accessible knowledge about reproductive health, and facilities at school to keep them in school for a healthy and prosperous future for the community.

Project Message

"At my school giving girls free pads and good information so they understand their bodies has greatly reduced absenteeism. They can now perform as well as the boys and are very happy."
- Lydiah Elizabeth Kasenene, Principal, Kasiisi Primary School, Uganda

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Alice Bator
Kasiisi Project Vanderbilt Co-Director
78 School Street
Weston, MA 02493
United States
1-781-454-9811
Email:

Project Sponsor

Center for Global Engagement, Northwestern Univ

Organization

The Kasiisi Project (Girls Support Program) Logo

The Kasiisi Project (Girls Support Program)
64 Linnaean St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States
671 493 5775
http://www.kasiisiproject.org/KPGirlSupport/KP_Girls_Support_Program.html

Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in UgandaUganda and can also be found under Women and GirlsWomen and Girls.

For more information about Uganda, read the Human Development Report on Uganda or the Wikipedia entry for Uganda.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on November 10, 2009.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on April 13, 2009

Latest Update from the Field

Thank You!

By Alice - Bator, November 10, 2009 04:03 PM

Thank you so much for all of your continued support. It has been exciting to have Kasiisi Girls Support Project recognized by Oprah on her new registry: for all women.

Next month continues to be exciting as Dr. Moses Kissa Musaazi (MakaPad inventor) is coming to the United States for a conference on technology in DC. While in the US he will visit Vanderbilt University.

***
Here's a snapshot of a profile of a Ugandan Girl affected by the Girls Support Project:

In brief, a typical P7 (the equivalent of 6th grade) student at Kasiisi Primary School lives with her father and mother; sings in the school choir; plays netball; and likes to dance. However, when a girl gets her period, just getting to school (let alone enjoying her normal school activities) is a challenge. It is extremely tempting to skip school during this time. Girls worry about odor and leaks, and boys at school tease may her and pressure her to have sexual relations with them. Most girls have a friend who drop sout of school because she is pregnant (about 2-3 girls do every year). Girls are uncertain whether to believe boys when they say she can’t get pregnant during her periods or that if she doesn’t have sex soon she will never to able to have children. Most girls own only one pair of underpants but are embarrassed to ask their parents to buy her more. These girls are bright and enthusiastic whose path to a healthy productive future is being hampered by two very simple, easily remedied, inexpensive things: sanitary supplies and accurate information to help her avoid unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Links:

Pictures:

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