Every month, too many underprivileged girls struggle to manage their monthly menstruation. In many cases, these girls are forced to miss up to five days of school per month because they do not have the resources to discreetly and hygienically manage their menstrual flow. Unfortunately, this leads to high absenteeism and can cause girls to fall behind in their studies, and may even result in them dropping out of school altogether. This can rob them of the opportunities that come with an education and result in a negative impact on society.

To help address this problem sustainably, the Menstrual Match project sets out to provide these girls with reusable sanitary products that can be used for up to four years. This approach is not only sustainable for the girls, but also helps protect the environment by reducing the use of disposable pads which can be harmful when disposed of in rivers. The girls also receive a booklet and are educated on reproductive health and how to take optimal care of their reusable sanitary products.

The target is to support four schools a year, with a focus on helping 500 girls: 25 girls per class, 125 girls per high school.

We are flexible in our approach and happy to work with specific schools if they are suggested to us. With the support of donors and other contributors, we can help a greater number of girls manage their monthly periods and stay in school – giving them more opportunities to succeed and contribute to society.