Keep Her in School: 1,000 girls, 2,000 reusable pads
Roughly five million Ugandan girls lose valuable school time each year because they cannot access sanitary pads. Unable to afford modern products, many stay home during their periods to avoid the stigma of staining their uniforms — and some resort to unsafe alternatives that risk their health.
Our "Keep Her in School with a Reusable Sanitary Pad" project was our response to that reality. It took a two-pronged approach: create durable, reusable pads bundled with anti-bacterial soap, and pair every distribution with open awareness sessions that challenge the taboo around menstruation.
Each girl received two reusable pads and anti-bacterial soap — enough to sustain her for at least a full year.
Where we worked
We reached 1,000 girls in three schools across three of Uganda's most rural districts. Two thousand pads were procured together with our partner Signals from the Grassroots, then carefully packaged for distribution.
- Rakai District — 314 girls: St. Peter's Secondary School and St. Aloysious Vocational Secondary School.
- Mayuge District — 429 girls: Kaluba High School, Iganga Star College and Bunya Secondary School.
- Kiboga District — 256 girls: Ntwetwe Citizen Secondary School, Buyimbazi Secondary School and Buyimbazi Primary School.
More than pads
Before handing out the packs, we ran comprehensive education sessions on safe pad usage to prevent infection. With the permission of school administrations, we extended menstruation awareness to the whole school community — including boys — to help normalise conversations and dismantle shame.
The impact
In the short term, 1,000 girls can now attend school consistently, unburdened by menstrual worry. The reusable design removes the recurring cost of disposable products for at least a year per girl. In the long term, we hope to inspire similar projects nationwide — advancing menstrual health as an essential part of educational equity and a cleaner environment.
Help us keep the next girl in school
A gift of 50,000 UGX provides reusable pads and soap for one schoolgirl for a year.