Pad4Her

29^th of May 2021 was the official launch date of our #Pad4Her campaign which commemorated International Menstrual Hygiene Awareness Day.

Our charity Charles Mwense Foundation (Zambia & England) and its international partners LifeAid (England) & Color Him Father Foundation (USA) aims to provide Menstrual Hygiene Kits to 1,000 + vulnerable school going girls across Zambia aged 13-18 years old annually that attend various government schools as well as stay in various orphanages across Zambia.

Our main catchment areas Chainda (Lusaka), Zambia Compound (Mazabuka), Venter Compound (Lusaka), Kabobola (Mazabuka) as well as another six locations in Southern Province and Lusaka Province respectively.

These respective areas that we shall be empowering vulnerable girls with Menstrual Hygiene kits are areas where these poor young girls come from households that have an income of less than £1/$1 per day and subsequently when these young girls are going through their menstruation cycle they are forced to use alternatives to sanitary pads that are unhealthy, unhygienic and very high risk.

These poor girls use items such as socks, newspaper and tissue as alternatives to sanitary pads due to the fact their guardians simply cannot afford to purchase sanitary napkins/pads due to the level of poverty and economic hardship many like them face in their community’s. A majority of these girls are forced to be absent from school during their menstruation cycle which negatively effects their attendance rate and academic performance on the whole. Not to mention the situation of period poverty they find themselves in also hurts the children’s confidence and sense of self worth which is something we wish to positively change for 1,000 girls.

The Menstrual Hygiene Kits the girls will be donated will consist of the following:

-6 washable/reusable sanitary cloth pads

-6 large Dettol Hygienic Soaps

-1 Wash Bag

-6 pairs of underwear

We will also be providing ALL the girls with Menstrual Hygiene Management Coaching Workshops facilitated by a Registered Ministry of Health Nurse and Certified Psychosocial Counsellor.

The purpose of these workshops during donation days is to demonstrate with the use of a life size doll how the girls should wear their sanitary pads, how to wash and clean them safely as we will be donating them 6 washable/ reusable sanitary pads that can be used for up to 3 years, how to keep themselves clean, safe and healthy during their menstruation period in a manner that allows them to still attend school during their cycle and everything else related to menstrual hygiene and menstruation on the whole.

65% of our workshops and donation events to the girl beneficiaries will be executed at various Ministry of Education Government schools in Zambia and the remaining percentage will be executed at various community centres within the respective communities of the beneficiaries as well as four(4) orphanages.

Our plea is that you help us achieve this goal with a donation of any amount towards this very much needed and highly impactful charitable campaign that will positively effect the lives and education of 1,000 + vulnerable girl children that need it most.

Every £1/$1/€1 is a #Pad4Her so please support this worthy and noble cause and follow the campaign as we continue to improve access to menstrual hygiene management coaching and resources to girls in Zambia effected by #PeriodPoverty.