Project Launch: 11-11-15

At G.S. Kibondo Secondary School, and many schools around the world, one of the biggest challenges preventing girls from staying in school is their menstruation cycle. With the associated stigma and lack of proper facilities, many girls choose to stay home. To help improve female attendance rates and encourage girls to stay in school, this project will lead to the construction of a room specifically designed for girls to take care of their feminine hygiene needs. The room will give them a safe place to go when they aren't feeling well and, as a result, rather than missing an entire day or week of school, they will only miss a few hours.

Project Update

The girls' room was built and is expected to be painted and furnished by the end of February when school is back in session. All building materials were sourced locally and community members were hired to assist in construction, providing an opportunity to generate income to support their families and pay school fees. Once school resumes, the project leaders will monitor the use of the room and collect feedback from the students.

Final Report: 11/14/2016

The Girls' Room has opened to much fanfare! The new room will allow girls to remain in school, even while menstruating, and provide the ideal environment for female pupils have their physical and emotional needs addressed.

Testimonials

"The ability to help build the room was great! The project helped the people who worked on the room to get jobs, which helped them make money. For me, it helped me generate income to pay school fees and buy materials to attend school in 2016." - Annet, 17, Project Participant 

"From all the girls at G.S. Kibondo, we thank you so much for what you have done. You have used your resources to build this house and advocate for us girls. We thank you because before it was difficult for all of us girls at G.S. Kibondo. Before the house of girls, it was difficult for us to study because if a girl was having her menstrual period, she would stay at home or if she got it at school, she would immediately go home. Now, we again thank you so much because if we have that same problem, we can now go to the house so that we can get proper materials like Kotex, clean underwear, water, soap, a bed, and sheets in order to care for our bodies instead of going home. Another important advantage is the bed. The bed helps girls rest if they are suffering, and when the suffering has passed, she can come to the later lessons instead of going home." - Jesca, 18, Project Participant

"This project encourages female attendance at the school. It eliminates one of the major reasons that female students decide not to come to school or leave school early. Because of this room, girls have more freedom and less worry to study because anything menstruation related can be taken care of in this room. In return, they are an example to their younger female siblings to show that there is no good reason why all female students should not be educated." - Sarah, Peace Corps Volunteer