It is not unusual for girls in East Africa to miss school because of difficulty managing their monthly period. Menstruation may last for three to five days, and since girls often stay home during their period, it is common for them to miss as many as 36 days of school per year.
Many girls in East Africa lack basic education about menstruation and menstrual hygiene management, and many have limited access to menstrual hygiene products. Since the beginning of our operations, Africa ELI has recognized these needs and has worked to address them. For several years, our students were taught to sew their own reusable menstrual pads, but we were forced to discontinue that program in 2016 when, in response to the armed conflict, we moved operations out of Yei.
Most recently, we have been purchasing disposable sanitary pads for the girls every month, but that is quite costly. We believe that a more sustainable solution is one offered by AFRIpads, a Ugandan company that manufactures reusable sanitary pads. Reusable pads are cost-effective, and the company is locally owned, employing 150 Ugandan women.
Africa ELI met with AFRIpads personnel, and we were impressed by their commitment to public health, the local economy, and their community. We were also pleased to discover that AFRIpads provides free education about menstruation and menstrual hygiene management.
We have decided to partner with AFRIpads for at least the remainder of 2018. We will pay $5 USD per sanitary kit for our Africa ELI students. Each kit comes with enough pads for a minimum of one three-month school term.
Our Mission
By providing access to education, Africa ELI prepares young women in South Sudan to become leaders in their families and communities, engage in business enterprise, counteract inequalities, improve health practices, and work toward improving society for the benefit of all citizens.
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