Project Launch: 9-18-18

Rural girls who are menstruating face stigma and bullying. These social forces are so powerful that many girls are absent from school during their periods. Some even eventually abandon their studies as they complete puberty. This results in the loss of millions of dollars in economic value and shattered dreams for girls.

This project will train girls about how to manage their cycles, making use of locally made pads while they are on their periods. Through this intervention, more girls will remain in school and expand their future intellectual, social, and economic horizons. 

Project Update: 11-7-18

Changing approach, the project has decided to train pad-making multipliers to better reach local women. 15 mother group members and 15 girls from 3 schools including Chipasula Secondary School, St John's Primary School, and M'buka Primary School were trained in the essentials of pad-making which they will then repeat with community members. The training was facilitated over 2 days to ensure that the trainers understand the pad-making process.

Final Report: 1-10-19

With $756.60, the Foundation for Boys and Girls trained 15 girls and 15 mother group members from Chipasula Secondary School, St John's Primary School and M'buka Primary School in pad-making. The 15 girls assisted in teaching another 80 other students how to sew sanitary pads at M’buka Primary School, where the girls were equipped with knowledge on menstrual hygiene and health, and how to combat stigma regarding menstruation. The Foundation for Boys and Girls (formerly Movement for Boys and Girls) is now implementing a follow-on project aimed at training more mother group members in production of sanitary pads using tailoring machines. This will lead to greater production of durable, reusable sanitary pads that will be distributed to girls in different schools in Lilongwe district. Furthermore, the mother group members will also produce school uniforms and school bags for sale, thereby improving their economic prospects.