DFG Kits Restore Dignity to Female Students
Published Tue, Feb 27, 2024
Written by Dana Kaltenberger
In Sierra Leone, most girls face cultural stigma and discrimination when they are observing their monthly menstrual cycles. Rather than face shame, many young women stay home from school, placing themselves at a significant disadvantage in learning outcome and school completion rates.
EduNations works to keep girls in school is by providing Days for Girls (DFG) kits with sanitary products which allow young women to attend during their menstrual cycle, rather than staying home! Since EduNations started distributing the DFG kits, we have seen a big improvement in reduced absenteeism.
While these sanitary products are commonplace in developed countries, for girls in rural Sierra Leone, receiving DFG Kits is a big deal. We see big, beautiful smiles on their faces when they receive their sanitary products for the academic year.
One 6th-level student, Aminata Fofanah, says: “I want to thank EduNations and Days for Girls international for the supply of DFG Kits to us, with the use of this sanitary pads I will no longer experience any messes on my uniform when I’m observing my monthly flow during school hours.”
Adama Sumah, an SSS level 1 Commercial, says: “I want to express my thanks to EduNations for the provision of new sanitary pads to us, as this is my first time to use quality menstrual pads. When I was using local cloth for pads I frequently got an infection, but with the DFG Kits I know I am well secure from infection.”
Our partnership with Days for Girls began during the 2016/2017 year when a former Psychosocial Coordinator crossed paths with the coordinator for Days for Girls Sierra Leone while on a trip to the U.S. Since Days for Girls International distributes sanitary kits for young women and EduNations provides quality education for the same young women, our collaboration has been natural and fruitful. EduNations now receives DFG Kits from Days for Girls International for free.
EduNations, and our young women students, are grateful for your support in providing resources for their education, and to Days for Girls for the DFG kits that help them stay in school, no matter the time of month.