Did you know that there are girls who can’t gain an education simply because of their menstrual period? Learn how to help by volunteering from home with Days for Girls.
As your kids send your kids to school, have you stopped to consider what a blessing their education is? Did you know that not every child has the same opportunity as your child? Around the world, many girls miss out on their education simply because they are female and have a menstrual cycle.
I love participating in service projects and Family History. In my down time I enjoy getting out of the endless cycles of laundry and diapers and feeling like I am contributing to the greater good of the world.
Days For Girls
Days for Girls is a program where volunteers all over the world work together to provide menstrual hygiene kits to women in need. This video explains their purpose MUCH better than I do!
When I first heard about Days for Girls, I really wanted to be involved. Because I don’t sew very well though, I didn’t jump on the opportunity. Thankfully, our church group sponsored a Days for Girls event so I went, eager to find out how this organization runs.
Let me tell you, I was hooked. I learned more about this group of women who have come together to make reusable menstrual pads for girls. This provides these girls the ability to stay in school and complete their education. It’s as simple as that!
Each girl receives a Days for Girls kit which includes waterproof shields, a small bar of soap, liners, Ziploc bags for washing and storage, a washcloth, and panties. Each of these items is brightly colored so they will not show stains. The fabrics dry quickly so they can be reused again and again. In fact, the life span of one kit is about 3 years! What a difference that can make to keep a girl in school for 3 more years!
What is the Impact?
The actual statistics show that this is working. People who contribute to Days for Girls really are making a difference! After distribution of Days for Girls kits, drop out rates dropped in Uganda from 36% to 8%. In Kenya, school retention rates rose from 75% to 96%.
Beyond receiving a kit, these girls are also educated on their menstrual cycle. Instead of feeling dirty, or wondering what is happening to them, they realize and understand the beauty of their body. Because of their period, they have the power to give life!
In addition, by being involved in this program, it has provided a natural way for me to talk to my girls AND boys about periods. I can’t single-handedly change the world’s view on periods. If I can shed light on the normalcy and beauty of periods within my own family, that’s a success.
How YOU Can Be Involved
At each event the story of how Days for Girls came to be is told and you are encouraged to share the story with others. I was surprised by how many different ways that I could be involved. By attending a Days for Girls event, you can easily jump into the assembly line instead of facing the overwhelming task of completing an entire kit by yourself.
Here are 5 Simple Ways to Get Involved
Find a Local Days for Girls Group
By searching on their map, you can quickly find local Days for Girls Chapters, Teams, and Enterprises.
Start a Club
Specifically geared toward youth ages 12-14, you can start a school or community club. This club would help empower girls and women, foster education, leadership, and dignity while serving the local and international community.
Travel and Distribute Kits
If you are traveling to East Africa, West Africa, Guatemala or Nepal, you can distribute the kits right into the arms of these girls! See first hand the difference these kits can make in the lives of these girls by teaching them about the kits and other hygiene education.
Sew Kits
All the patterns and instructions on what each kit contains are all on the Days for Girls website. If you love to sew extremely easy patterns, you can do what I did and seek out your local chapter and jump into the assembly line to complete projects at home. I usually do the extremely simple parts that include sewing straight lines. All it takes is a little bit of time!
Donate
Do you like doing FUNdraisers? Days for Girls includes ideas for campaigns as well as editable pieces to use for your own fundraiser. Local chapters are always accepting donations of underwear, washclothes, Ziploc bags, hotel soaps, good quality fabric, or money.
What Will You Do?
All it takes it watching this simple video to find out how one person taking a small step can make a HUGE difference.
One of my favorite quotes from this: “An educated girl can have a profound impact on the development of a community”. -Dr. Pedro Sanchez
I love that in working with Days for Girls, I have been able to work at my own pace. We have a chapter in our community, so I am able to pick up, work on, and drop off completed packets as I find time. Generally speaking, when my husband has lots of homework, I tend to complete lots of Days for Girls packets. I find that I feel more fulfilled when I spend my time not on social media, but effectively “saving the world”.
What steps will you take to make a difference today?
Thank you for sharing this information. Educating girls can change life for future generations. I applaud your efforts in make the world a better place.
Thank you! If you get involved in your area, I would love to hear how they have it organized!