Supporting girls with sanitary pads in Sierra Leone

The need. In Sierra Leone, menstruation is a significant barrier to education. In our schools, 20% of girls who have started their periods miss school when they are menstruating. Menstruation and menstrual hygiene is not talked about to girls in Sierra Leone, so many are surprised and afraid when they start their periods, and have no supplies to manage it. In our schools, 93% of girls who have started their periods did not know what menstruation was before they had their first period.

Why it’s important. Research by UNICEF and other international organizations shows very strongly that the positive economic impact of educating girls is profound for communities in developing countries like Sierra Leone. Providing menstrual hygiene tools and reproductive health education is a direct way to keep girls in school and support their healthy growth and development.

What we are doing. Good Deeds Day Sierra Leone conducts reproductive health education with girls and boys in schools across the country and we do this through the support of I SUPPORT THE GIRLS in the US, and distributes Days for Girls menstruation kits to girls who have started their periods.

This year 2019 has been very challenging in receiving the shipment from I SUPPORT THE GIRLS as they do the donation but don't ship to us here in Freetown. We have been asking friends and family members to help us, but this year, non of those who have been help us traveled back home for holidays. We are thus looking for partnership in education and support in shipping for us the menstrual kits donated to us.