Women, Action & the Media

Menstruation is often jokingly referred to as a curse. But for women in developed countries, the damage usually doesn’t extend past the occasional ruined outfit or a few days feeling crampy.

In keeping with the theme of women’s rights as human rights, for day 8 of 16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence, we would like to pose the following question:

What if not having feminine supplies kept you isolated during menstruation?

•             No study for days.

•             No income for days.

•             No access to hygiene … for days.

Many of us take the ability to safely and effectively manage our menstrual cycles for granted, as it is justifiably a basic human right. But for millions of girls and women in impoverished countries, having a period effectively stops them from living their lives normally. They are unable to attend school and work, which drastically reduces the number of opportunities available to them. Some resort to using whatever they can find in place of feminine hygiene supplies—saw dust, newspapers, cornhusks, mattress stuffing—which often results in dangerous infections. Many drop out of school entirely.

Thankfully, Days For Girls is working to correct this, and you can help.

What started out as a single chapter created by their director, Celeste Mergens, has exploded into several chapters across the globe.

The hard working volunteers at DFG sew, assemble and distribute re-usable feminine hygiene kits for girls in need. So far they work in “Kenya, Indonesia, Haiti, Ghana, Tanzania, China, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, India, Niger, South Africa, and more.” Each kit helps in a very real way to give these girls days and weeks of their lives back. The stories of the girls and their gratitude are truly inspiring–we suggest keeping tissues handy if you cry easily.

Here’s how you can help:

Do you sew? If you do, there are patterns for the pads, liners and drawstring bags on the DFG website.

Not a sewer? Not to worry. They also take donations for other kit supplies like panties, washcloths, soap, and sturdy 1 gallon-sized ziplock baggies.

Or maybe you just want to cut out the mailing and sending part entirely. As they put it:

Thanks to our skilled and dedicated volunteer teams, 100% of your donation goes to sustainable solutions for women worldwide. Donations are completely tax deductible through Clay for Earth a 501©3 # 26-2560562

They accept donations through PayPal, and they are currently selling a necklace if you want your contribution to take the form of a stylish reminder and interesting conversation starter.  They also take suggestions if you know of a specific region that would benefit from these kits.

If you can’t sew and you’re light on cash, there are still ways you can help that cost nothing but a few moments of your time:

What can you do?

Talk about this vital issue.

Pass the word about Days for Girls International.

Join our team. Whatever your talents, whatever your interests– you can make a difference.

Hold DFG events; form a chapter.

Distribute kits

For more information, you can check out DaysForGirls.org or email them at info@daysforgirls.org.