Girls' Empowerment in Tanzania

In the Mara Region of Northern Tanzania, on the shores of Lake Victoria, there are many young women who want to go to school. They face so many obstacles, including those that you’re probably aware of: lack of money, parental support, and educational facilities in general.

But they also face obstacles related to their menstruation, such as limited access to good quality, inexpensive sanitary pads, and soap and water to keep themselves clean. Feelings of embarrassment and low self-esteem consume these girls, causing them to drop out of school. These challenges may seem trivial to those of us who view menstruation as a monthly inconvenience, but for girls in the villages around Musoma and Tarime, they can mean the end of education and hopes for their future.  

And yet a simple answer awaits! Reusable sanitary pads sewn by young women in the villages.

This concept is spreading throughout Africa and is perfect for the communities I recently visited on my UB study abroad trip. The key components are already in place: a nearby foundation ready to collaborate, sewing projects with students and graduates eager to work, networks of community-based organizations with related missions, and most importantly young women eager to get back to school. Help me make this project a reality and help change the lives of the women it will touch.  Just a small donation of any amount will get this project off the ground!

http://www.buffalo.edu/atbuffalo/article-page-fall-2017.host.html/content/shared/www/atbuffalo/articles/Fall-2017/features/african-connections.detail.html