Water and Pads for School-Girls          Empowerment for Life!

The monthly cycle belongs to the life of women all over the globe. For women in affluent countries it is a commonplace recurrent fact. But in remote rural areas of countries in Africa and Asia the periodic bleeding is subject to shame and taboos. This can have dire consequences for school-girls. They lack any knowledge of sexual and reproductive health. Sanitary pads are almost unavailable. To avoid being mobbed many schoolgirls hide at home during their period using dirty rags. Absence from classes amount to 5 days per month consequently they have to abandon school prematurely.

These adolescents are particularly at risk of sexual violence, undesired pregnancies and forced marriage. Not surprisingly UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Health Organization are alarmed by the blatant discrimination of girls hampering the development of their personality.

        IAW research confirmed the fact that these rural schools lack everything:

        - long daily walks because of lack of public transportation

       - bad conditions of the roads

       - difficult access to water, at the most a cistern or a borehole

       - no decent toilets and handwash basins.

The schools
These are usually public primary and secondary schools in remote rural areas. Living conditions are very poor and there is no access to the Internet. Despite all these obstacles, the teachers are committed to providing the best possible education to the students.

Water and Pads for School-Girls          Empowerment for Life!