Adikin + Mary’s Story
Blog Post | March 2020
Adikin (17 years old) and Mary (15 years old) were the only two girls in their class that sat for their school’s Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). They’re at the top of their class and are deeply committed to their school work. But, every month they would get sidelined from school and setback in their studies by the same thing: their periods.
Recently, the two girls shared their story of how our Menstrual Hygiene Program helped them. “Before learning how to make reusable pads, I used old pieces of cloth which would stain my uniform and I would miss school for some days,” said Adikin.
The Menstrual Hygiene Program is simple. WaterSchool constructs a private room or outbuilding at school that is stocked with pads, clean underwear, a spare school uniform and basic painkillers. Girls and women can relieve themselves safely and manage their menstrual cycle appropriately. We also provide training for young women in how to easily make reusable pads. It’s all in an effort to keep girls in school. The longer a girl stays in school, the less likely she is to get married young and the more likely she is to be financially stable, healthy, and better equipped to have children one day.
But for the moment, Mary and Adikin’s experience with the program is simply about having privacy and not having to miss school.
“I am grateful learning how to make reusable pads because they are cheap to make and are easy to use,” said Mary. “I don’t miss school every month.”
Both girls were able to train their family members especially their sisters on how to make the pads. The girls also said they stopped missing school during periods because of the changing room that was equipped and they could go there in case of emergency. The girls successfully completed their exams and are heading onto the next step in their education — a bright future awaits!
Learn more about how WaterSchool is supporting women and girls here.
Health and possibility goes beyond clean water. Thank you for being on this journey with us and for supporting young women and girls in Uganda.
Read more from our March 2020 Supporter Update:
How reusable pads are changing the future for young women and girls in Uganda: Girls often dropout of school after Grade 6 because there aren’t private latrines where they can relieve themselves safely or manage their menstrual cycle. Here's what we're doing about it.
Our new partnership with Coca-Cola Uganda: Regularly when we tell people about SODIS (Solar Disinfection) they always ask, “but what about the plastic bottles?” It’s a common concern — and a valid one! Are we simply adding more waste into the system? Read more here.