Sanitary towels and shoes for vulnerable school girls in Africa

In Zambia, girls often miss school because of difficulty managing menstrual periods without sanitary supplies and facilities. Girls are still waiting for the government to follow through on a 2016 promise to address the problem with free sanitary pads.

Covid-19, which has brought about the depreciation of the local currency has caused the price of sanitary pads to more than double on the local market, from just under EUR1.00 a year ago to about EUR2.20 today. This is far much more than the average rural household can afford, especially with a median income of around less than EUR0.40 per day.

Because most girls lack supplies to safely and hygienically manage menstruation while at school, girls’ school attendance becomes less consistent after fifth grade. It is for this reason that we are capitalizing on our previous success of delivering 250 pairs of shoes and 500 sanitary pads to vulnerable school-going girls.

We are seeking donations to purchase and distribute another 300 pairs of school shoes and 1,000 sanitary towels for vulnerable school-going girls at Kankumba primary school in rural Rufunsa, an impoverished area about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Zambia’s capital.