In 2015, the Ugandan government signed the Menstrual Hygiene Charter. In partnership with organizations across the country, including WaterSchool, they committed to prioritizing normalizing menstrual hygiene for girls and young women.
While we may not typically think of a girl's period as being a barrier to education, in countries like Uganda, it is a leading reason for girls to drop out of school. Without access to clean and effective pads, facilities to change, safe ways to wash or dispose of pads, and access to soap and clean water to clean up and wash their hands, managing their periods can be a huge challenge.
WaterSchool has brought our unique approach to providing clean water into schools and is a trusted partner. To reduce girls’ embarrassment, fear, anxiety and distraction at school, WaterSchool has gone one step further to also provide dedicated rooms stocked with reusable pads, painkillers and hygiene products to ensure that girls can stay in school. Period.
““The girls are comfortable, feel safe and secure during their periods especially because they now have a private space to sort themselves out; they are able to clean and change their sanitary towels without inconvenience. For this reason, they freely interact with their teachers and fellow pupils, which has reduced absenteeism and improved class performance.””