These girls are from Lifuwu Secondary School. They already have been sewing their own pads by hand, but I wanted to send them some machine sewn pads to inspire them. I'm told they're very happy with the pads and the photos show it! 

Thank you all for your generosity! Tools for Self Reliance will be shipping at least 12  manual sewing machine out to Blantyre in Malawi early next year! Then there’ll be another shipment later on. I know the girls will be so excited about that!

I can’t tell you how much it means to the girls that we are all thinking of them. They feel encouraged and inspired by your generosity and even more motivated to go to school every week of the month! 

I've raised money for Tools For Self Reliance because they're going to help me ship manual sewing machines out to Malawi so that the girls there can make their own washable sanitary pads more quickly. At the moment they are sewing them by hand - and its taking too long!

Back to the beginning! 

When I found out that girls in Malawi miss a week of school every month just because they're having their period ( Its because they don't have sanitary protection to avoid embarrassment) - I started working together with Help2Kids and the Girls Guide programme in Lifuwu and Kazembe, Malawi. As I write we have over 50 girls hand-sewing their own washable sanitary pads and getting involved with an education programme about menstruation, safe sex and HIV Aids. 

See www.help2kids.org/investing-in-girls-education

Now I've designed my own version of an Eco Sanitary Pad, made all with recycled materials. I've already made nearly 50 of them to send out to the girls in Malawi to encourage them in their efforts. 

Hence my idea to do a sponsored "Padathon" - where I asked you, kind friends, to sponsor me for every pad I make in that 12 hours on August 1st 2019. Now that the Padathon is done and dusted the work continues to find ever more imaginative ways to raise money. 

SO........I’m reaching out to groups of teenage girls in schools, clubs or private groups who would like to learn how to make their own washable pads. The money earnt will all go towards helping the girls in Malawi with their efforts. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.