We have been involved with Days for Girls for some years and, thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers, we are able to distribute these kits (which help young women stay in school) during our Medical Mission each January and at other times of the year.

Currently only around 25% of girls in Uganda complete primary school education: one of the contributing factors to this is that when girls start their periods they have no sanitary wear and are therefore unable to attend school, thus missing part of their education for anything up to a week per month. Consequently they fall behind and may drop out of school.

In addition to the practical benefits of the kits, they also serve to provide an opportunity to talk to girls, individually or in groups, about the changes to their bodies at this time in their life. These conversations help to dispel some of the myths surrounding puberty.