MY PAD: Empowering Girls' Education
In the fall of 2012 Brick by Brick performed a needs assessment in three primary schools, asking 139 menstruating girls about their experiences. We found that 34% the girls surveyed missed on average 3.3 days per month due to their menstrual periods. 43% reported pain as the cause of their absences, while 28% cited fear of blood soaking through their clothes, and 13% stated the reason was the lack of a private place to change their pads or cloths. Many girls lack affordable products to support their menstrual health. Almost all the girls told us they would welcome more information about their reproductive health.In the next 6 months, Brick by Brick will launch the My Pad Program to address this pressing need. We have assembled an international team who, with significant input from local communities, will design a program that will sustainably fabricate and provide Re-useable Menstrual Pads for girls in need. In addition, the My Pad Program will educate girls and boys about basic reproductive health, encouraging informed healthy choices as our students grow to become young women and men. With an initial investment and support from Brick by Brick, we intend to launch programs that will continue without our direct involvement.
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