Creating awareness, supporting communities & providing sanitary towels to deprived communities in Pate Islands Lamu Kenya.

Why Period Poverty? - Period poverty affects women and girls all over the world. Access to sanitary products, safe, hygienic spaces in which to use them and the right to manage menstruation without shame or stigma, is essential for anyone who menstruates. But for many, this is not a reality. This is not just a potential health risk - it can also mean women and girls’ education, well-being, and sometimes entire lives are affected.

Stigma - There is a huge stigma and lack of understanding around menstruation. This stigma exists even in cases or communities where poverty is not an issue. In cases where poverty does place challenges on menstruation, period shaming only further exacerbates the issue.

Why Lamu? Our first stop will be Lamu County in Kenya. Our chosen partners for this project is Huris Foundation FAZA, based in Mombasa Kenya with deep roots in Faza. The foundation is already laying the ground work to connect with girls, and use the opportunity to teach them about puberty, hygiene, and gender-based violence and how to remain healthy over the duration of your period.

Lamu Island is separated from mainland Kenya by just a narrow channel of water, but in every other respect it is far, far removed from there. Approachable only by plane or boat – there are no roads or cars on the island - Lamu feels unbelievably remote.

We hope we can create global awareness, educate, and support these girls. In the long-term we intend to use local materials to provide products to many girls in schools in the village of Pate and surroundings and gradually move from village to village. We will also support the girls by providing panties as we have been informed by our partners on the ground that most make do with one or two and many a times they have to make do with the minimal. We started our campaign with a collection of sanitary towels and donations in June with the intention of moving towards providing environmentaly friendly and sustainable solutions.

Your donation will be highly appreciated,

Many thanks in advance,

PPaP

15th June 2021