PADS - Ending Period Poverty

My name is Aanya, and I am a high school student in Tampa, FL. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many public health disparities, ranging from healthcare unavailability to mass unemployment, but less frequently discussed, lack of access to Menstrual Hygiene Products. I recently had the opportunity to work on a global virtual project that focused on empowering girls and women during the COVID-19 crisis.  A topic related to menstrual hygiene education revealed that lack of school attendance by many teenage girls was partially the result of issues surrounding lack of access to Menstrual Hygiene Products in the third world countries. Looking closer to home the statistics were equally shocking.

One in five girls in America’s schools in low economic zone attributed lower school attendance due to difficulty in accessing feminine hygiene products.  I too belong to a high school where majority of the students come from similar background. This raises within me a sense of purpose to try to help those girls who may be negatively impacted and suffering in silence in our everyday community high schools.  As a first world country, where simple access to such important products is overlooked, it raises the bigger concern of how we view gender equality in our country.  It is paramount that we as citizens support initiatives that promote access to feminine hygiene products and consequently to education for all of our today’s youth.

My goal is to place menstrual hygiene dispensers and period products into all the school bathrooms to help more girls attend school and be successful.

Please Support by DONATING to this worthy cause because their future needs your understanding and courage to empower a change for the better.

 

****84% of STUDENTS have Missed Class or know someone who has due to lack of
access to Menstrual Hygiene Products.