Dignity Period, our donors, supporters, and team in the U.S. and Ethiopia closed out 2018 with a bang. Working together, we were able to raise the funds and coordinate the outreach to impact 275,000 Ethiopian students. What a milestone!
What does that outreach really mean?
We distributed 275,000 Growth and Changes educational booklets to both boys and girls to educate about and reduce stigma associated with menstruation.
We provided Ethiopian girls with 137,500 menstrual hygiene supply kits consisting of four reusable pads and two pairs of underwear which can provide accident-free school days for up to 18 months.
Our pads were purchased through Mariam Seba Sanitary Products Factory, a woman-owned and operated factory that employs over 40 local Ethiopian women providing them with a salary, continued education, and child care.
And, it means expanded global awareness of issues facing girls in Ethiopia and beyond.
To all who supported our Mission 275 campaign by making a donation or sharing our story on social media, THANK YOU. Your efforts helped us give 275,000 students the opportunity for a better life.
We believe that periods should end sentences, not education. But that’s not always the case in Ethiopia where the school dropout rate for girls is 51%, while only 30% for boys.
Our mission is to put a stop to that inequality by providing menstruation supplies and education to as many Ethiopian students as possible. Reaching 275,000 students is a great start, but together we can do so much more.
In 2019 we’ll continue our work in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, expand our reach into the St. Louis Community, and explore ways to even further impact the girls and women we serve.
To find out how you can get involved in our efforts to support educational equality in Ethiopia, click here.
