Support Ng’ara to Help school girls period

1 in 10 girls in Tanzania do not attend school while menstruating, a major reason for dropouts. If a girl misses 4 days of school every 4 weeks due to her period, she will miss 10 to 20 percent of her school days. Join the efforts of the Ng'ara Reusable Sanitary Pad Project team and help keep the young women of our future in school

WHO

We are a dedicated group of youth who formerly volunteered our time as peer educators, human rights activists and community health workers to help improve the lives of those living in poverty. We live in the Mabatini slum in Mwanza, Tanzania and with the help of CIDA Interns from the College of the Rockies, we are currently trying to establish a sustainable business to help feed our children and support our everyday lives.

WHAT

Sanitary pads are too expensive for many girls to purchase, which often results in girls missing up to one week of school every month. In the short-run, this puts girls at a disadvantage to their male counterparts in school. In the long-run, girls who are forced to miss school due to their monthly period and a lack of sanitary products are at a higher risk of adult poverty, unemployment, sexual exploitation, and HIV/AIDS. Living through the reality of life in the slums, we are dedicated to creating a better future for young girls. We received four months of training from Mwanza-based NGO Binti Africa in the production of reusable cloth sanitary pads. This professional training has taught us how to produce a high quality, soft, breathable pad that can be washed and reused lasting up to four months. The Ng'ara Reusable Sanitary Pads can be purchased for a very low price of $5 US, which includes five reusable pads and a convenient storage/travel bag.

WHY:

Currently there are no other organizations providing reusable sanitary pads in Mwanza. Most families cannot afford to buy disposable sanitary pads at the supermarket because buying food for the family is the priority. Not only are the Ng'ara reusable sanitary pads significantly cheaper than the leading brand of disposable pads, they are easy to use and environmentally friendly.

HOW:

With your donation the hope is twofold: to empower the women of the Mabatini slums with a sustainable income, and to prevent young women from missing out on educational growth by providing them with access to affordable sanitary pad products.

IMPACT:

Since September 2011, Ng'ara has donated almost 600 packages of pads to various schools in the Nyamagana district. The head teachers have reported a significant increase in attendance for girls at the schools in response to the pad donations. Although this is encouraging, after receiving feedback from the girls at one school, it is apparent that many of them continue to go without pads and often end up having to share.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

If you are unable to make a contribution there are other ways that you can help the cause. Please share this message with family and friends, so we can spread the word together!

Asante Sana (Thank you very much)!