In Malawi, weddings have 'pelekani': essentially a dance of donations. This is our equivalent. No dancing required!

So simple, yet not available to millions of girls in Malawi: affordable, reusable sanitary pads that actually work, allowing girls to study, play and work with confidence. At most these cost £1/10.6 NOK for a pack (one outer shell and three inserts, in a waterproof bag) to produce.

The funds will be split between two organisations in Malawi. Both work with Mother Groups, including teenage mothers, who sew and sell sanitary pads for income generation, and re-invest a portion into providing needy girls with the product. The model has been tested with a noticeable improvement in the performance and retention of girls in school who had access to the re-usable sanitary pads.

The Forum for African Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA) is a long term partner of the UK's DFID. Part of their work supports sanitary pads in Dowa District, in central region, and your support will expand this.

See: https://fawemalawi.wordpress.com.

Ndi Tsogolo Langa (It's my future) is a newer Malawian organisation that receives funds from Govt of Malawi's technical skills training programme. Your support will enable them to expand sewing equipment in their centres in a drought-and hunger-hit District in southern Malawi. With each new sewing machine, a girl can produce up to 20 pads a day to sell.

See: http://nditsogololangamw.org

Neither organisation believe sanitary pads are a magic solution. Both work on wider issues for girls' empowerment and educational attainment. But the pads - which we take for granted as women from UK and Norway - make a real difference.

NB! If you are a Malawian friend wishing to donate, we will take a cash collection that will be added to the online gifts.

Thank you for your support.