The problem: a lack of affordable sanitary towels.

Our solution: provide girls with sanitary protection, underwear and a monthly social education programme at school through our Education All Month, Every Month scheme.

First periods are a very stressful time in any girl's life, but add to this acute poverty and you have a seriously miserable situation. Poor families across Africa cannot afford sanitary towels or even underwear and feeding their children takes priority. Many girls are forced to use unsanitary rags, animal skins and even chicken feathers as protection while they menstruate. We have even heard of young women digging holes in the ground to sit over in isolation all day.

This makes the prospect of going to school while menstruating impossible.

Missing a week's school each month has a massive detrimental impact on a child's progress and girls fall so far behind their peers that they frequently drop out of school completely, often before they have completed Primary School.

The result: loss of education, hope and future - for girls and their families.

Our Education All Month, Every Month programme works. We support 400 girls in eight Primary Schools in the Thika area of Kenya and we have seen a staggering 73% reduction in absenteeism and a phenomenal 53% increase in secondary school enrolment from 2015 to 2016. As success breeds success, even more schools are on a waiting list to join the scheme.

“The supply of sanitary towels to the girls and the lessons offered regularly by your staff have a great and positive impact on the girls, teachers and parents. Hygiene, confidence in the girls and interaction have put our girls on the frontline in both classroom and outdoor activities.” - Mary Kebatu, Headteacher, Kathambara Primary School

Please donate whatever you can afford - on a one-off or a monthly basis - to continue helping us help girls go to school. Thank you for your support.