Empowering girls and young women

September 2024

The IFAD Staff Help Fund has donated around 2,700 Euro to our “Pro Period” initiative that aims to empower 400 girls and young women in the district of Bukedea in Uganda.

Many girls and women miss school once their periods start. Pro Period raises awareness on the issue of period poverty. The initiative provides young women with reusable sanitary pads and panties that allow them to carry on their education during their periods. This allows them to attend classes more easily and complete their education.

The reusable sanitary pads and panties will be made by students at the BUYOPA training centre. They’ll learn how to make the hygiene products. Making and selling reusable sanitary pads and panties may also be a great business opportunity for them after they’ve finished their apprenticeship.

Period poverty

Nearly a quarter of Ugandan girls between the ages of 12 and 18 drop out of school when they begin menstruation. Sanitary products are expensive and often not available. Sanitary facilities are scarce at schools. Missing classes harms a girl’s education. A study in the nearby town of Bududa reported that menstruating students missed up to 18% of a school year due to lack of access to menstrual products, financial resources and stigmatisation.

Early marriage, early pregnancy and household chores are some of the other challenges faced by girls and young women in rural Eastern Uganda. Many drop out of school and do not complete their education, limiting their opportunities in life.

A tailoring student making a reusable sanitary pantie

Reusable sanitary pads

Pro Period will utilise the funds for the production of sanitary products for over 400 female students currently enrolled at BUYOPA, a vocational training centre. Each student will receive three to four pads and panties, with information on sanitation and menstrual hygiene provided throughout the process.

The tailoring students at BUYOPA will produce around 1500 reusable sanitary pads and panties. They’ll be buying the materials from a local supplier. Many of them are hoping to gain practical skills through vocational training to improve their chances in the job market or to run their own businesses.

Teachers and tailoring students will raise awareness of sanitation and menstrual hygiene as well as on the challenge of period poverty. The young girls and women who receive the pads and panties will be given instructions on how to use them.

Tailoring students and teachers holding sanitary panties

United Nations staff supporting education

The IFAD Staff Help Fund is an association of employees of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), who support small projects in developing countries that focus on education. The projects are suggested by members of the association or IFAD staff. The association is funded by IFAD staff through salary deductions and one-off donations. Oliver Mundy, a consultant at IFAD and a board member of Glocal LifeLearn, proposed the Pro Period initiative to the Help Fund.

The money from the IFAD Staff Help Fund will be used to cover the material costs of the sanitary pads and panties. Coordination and awareness raising costs will be covered by BUYOPA and Glocal LifeLearn. Glocal LifeLearn has previously funded two iterations of Pro Period in 2022 and 2023, but is currently unable to provide the necessary funding to carry out the activity this year.

Building on local partners

Pro Period is managed by our partner organisation, the Bukedea Youth Professionals Association (BUYOPA). BUYOPA was established in 2014 as a local community organisation with the objective of equipping vulnerable young people in Bukedea District with practical skills to enable them to find decent jobs or start their own businesses.

BUYOPA places a particular focus on women as trainees, providing training to women who are pregnant or have young children and have no access to other educational services, which is a rare occurrence in the region.

BUYOPA and Glocal LifeLearn have been working together since 2018. Glocal LifeLearn has successfully financed the vocational training of 10-20 young people every year. Both organisations have a long and trusting relationship.

Help us to support education in Uganda

Pro Period is one part of the support we offer to help young people in Uganda build a brighter future. Make a real difference:

We and our partners work on a voluntary basis. This year, 99% of our expenses went directly into our three educational projects.

Donate now

Alternatively, you can transfer your donation via direct bank transfer:

Name of bank: VR-Bank Bergisch Gladbach
BIC: GENODEDIPAF
IBAN: DE34370626003802529014