Photos above were taken during my April 2025 visit to Old Odonase, Ghana. The first photo was taken by me during my first trip to the village in January 2024.

Every woman should have access to sanitary products. A gift of $25 can provide a woman in Ghana with sanitary pads for a full year.

Today, on International Women’s Day, we are proud to launch the third annual Every Woman Project fundraiser.

In the rural farming village of Old Odonase, Ghana, many girls still miss school simply because they cannot afford sanitary pads.

Without these products, girls may miss several days of school each month or resort to unsafe alternatives like rags. A period should never determine whether a girl receives an education.

Together, we are working to change that.

My sister, Isabel, and I with female students in Old Odonase, Ghana after a “Girl Talk” session where we discussed menstrual health and distributed sanitary pads through the Every Woman Project (April 2025).

What We Accomplished Together

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, every woman in Old Odonase received 12 months of sanitary pads last year.

For many girls in the village, this was the first time they had ever used sanitary products. Before the program began in 2024, many relied on rags and often missed school during their periods.

Since launching the Every Woman Project, we’ve seen significant improvements in school attendance and confidence among students.

In addition to providing sanitary products, we created “Girl Talk” sessions, where female students gather to discuss menstruation, share experiences, and break the stigma around period health. These sessions are now led locally by our incredible partner in Ghana, Hannah Baffoe, alongside female teachers at the school.

Why This Work Matters

Across many communities in Ghana, sanitary pads are considered a luxury item.

A BBC report found that women earning minimum wage in Ghana may need to spend 13% of their monthly salary to purchase sanitary pads. For many families, this simply isn’t possible.

Without access to menstrual products:

-Girls may miss up to one week of school each month

-Students risk embarrassment if their uniforms become stained

-Some girls leave school altogether

In certain cases, girls may feel pressured to rely on boyfriends for money to buy menstrual products, which can lead to early pregnancy and dropping out of school.

Access to something as simple as sanitary pads can have a profound impact on a girl’s education, dignity, and future opportunities.

A Visit to Old Odonase

In January 2024, I traveled to Old Odonase to meet with groups of girls during our first Girl Talk sessions.

The village sits in Ghana’s Central Region and often reaches temperatures in the high 90s. There is no running tap water, though the community relies on two wells. The school serves students from Nursery through Junior High, and many children walk from neighboring villages each day to attend.

For the first time, the girls spoke openly about their experiences including the embarrassment of stained uniforms, the teasing from classmates, and the shame many had quietly carried.

When the students left the sessions with their first supply of sanitary pads, they were smiling and laughing together.

We talked about how to use the products and reassured them that more would be coming. These girls are incredibly determined to finish their education and build better futures.

After a successful 2024, we were thrilled to continue this success in 2025 thanks to our generous community of donors.

Our Goal for 2026

Our goal is to provide 200 women and girls with a full year of sanitary pads.

Your donation directly supports women and girls in Old Odonase:

$25 provides sanitary pads for one woman for an entire year

$100 supports four women

$500 supports 20 women

$1,000 supports 40 women

Together, we can ensure that periods never stand in the way of a girl’s education.

About the Program

The Every Woman Project is part of Make Your Mark in Africa, an initiative I founded that operates under Empathy FX International, a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty through access to education in Ghana.

Our work focuses on educational infrastructure and women’s health initiatives that create lasting opportunities for students and communities.

Make Your Mark in Africa began with a simple belief: even something as small as a pencil can change a student’s future.

Today, we continue that mission through projects that support education, dignity, and opportunity for girls in Ghana.

Thank you for being part of this mission and for supporting the women and girls of Old Odonase.

With gratitude,

Emma Hayes

Founder, Make Your Mark in Africa + Executive Director, Empathy FX International

Follow the journey:

Instagram: @makeyourmarkinafrica

TikTok: @makeyourmarkinafrica

Website: www.empathyfx.org

Website: www.makeyourmarkinafricaghana.org