STAMENS helping vulnerable girls realise their potential through continued education.
Supplying sanitary towels means girls can stay in school! continuing their education without interruption.
Not Going to School is a Tragedy
Research has shown that many adolescent African girls are unable to attend their schools for up to four days every month because they cannot afford the suitable sanitary protection during their menstrual periods. As a result, many girls lose up to 13% of their school year!
At present, when many of the more economically disadvantaged girls in countries such as Kenya have their period, they have no access to the sanitary products that their sisters around the world take for granted. For those still at school, they are likely to be kept at home for four days, which research has shown can add up over a year to losing up to 13 per cent of their school year.
At home, leaves, rags or other products will be used. Infections are not uncommon. If girl students do not have the provision, they do not go to school or they use alternatives like grass or ash and that can cause infections. Not going to school is a tragedy for them. STAMENS has the potential to transform the educational prospects for these young girls.
STAMENS partners with MARGARET MERCY MINISTRIES, an organisation that specializes in helping children who cannot go to school because of poverty. A pilot project that has resulted in all the girls in one school continuing their education without interruption simply by supplying them with sanitary towels has been judged a resounding success.
STAMENS in partnership with MARGARET MERCY MINISTRIESis currently operating the project in two schools in the rural area of Bondo, Siaya County, Kenya in an effort to ensure that adolescent girls remain in school during their menses.
To see to it that the project is a success with the outcome being that no more girls will stay out of school. This measure will improve the girls’ academic performance, increase their self-esteem and motivate them to have a positive outlook to life.
The aim of STAMENS is not to replace but complement similar projects already funded, for example, by Rotary. Stamens will seek out the projects that are too small to attract the help of the bigger organisations.
The set-up is simple. The sanitary towels are purchased in Africa and are delivered to the mission to be handed out to those who need them. The possibility of setting up a small industry to manufacture them is being looked into.
The set-up is simple. The sanitary towels are purchased in Africa and are delivered to the mission to be handed out to those who need them. The possibility of setting up a small industry to manufacture them is being looked into.