Here at the STC, we believe one of the most important things which students gain from our trips is through their interactions with local people which allows them to develop a greater understanding of other people's lives and helps to develop them into a world citizen in the 21st century.
For our Girls’ School Adventures we’ve been hard at work to see how we can connect young women in this country with women across the globe.
So it is with much excitement that we can announce a partnership with Days for Girls. Working together, we have developed an inspirational addition to our girls’ programme in which our participants can connect with local women over an important issue all women have a deep and personal understanding of: female sanitation.
A subject which is often taboo, even in Western societies, the situation is often much worse in developing countries where women and girls have limited access to hygienic ways of dealing with their periods, limited knowledge of female health and a fear of the associated stigma.
A quick look at the numbers gives an insight into the extent of the problem:
- It is estimated that 23% of girls drop out of school in India once they have started menstruation.
- And that 70% didn’t even know what menstruation is before they started their first period.
- 98% of girls and women in Ethiopia lack access to proper menstrual hygiene products.
- According to UNICEF, over ¾ of girls in Niger have no place to change their sanitary menstrual materials at school.
- In Sierra Leone, 1 out of 5 girls will skip school when they are on their period.
It’s been shown that girls who stay at school to an older age will marry later and have fewer children. She’ll be more likely to delay having sex and be less likely to be forced into sex. She is also likely to be better educated about feminine and sexual hygiene and more likely to use contraception. Not to mention that in many parts of the developing world women have to resort to using leaves, dirt and rags as proper sanitary products are unavailable. As you can see, it’s an important issue.
Days for Girls aim for every woman and girl to have ready access to culturally, physically and environmentally hygienic solutions to female sanitation around the globe. They do this by making and distributing Days for Girls kits which contain all the items a girl needs to continue with her normal day to day life while on her period without suffering from fear or shame.
In country, there are a variety of different ways our groups can be involved with the Days for Girls programme, from one day visits to projects lasting the duration of your trip. We can mix and match the following options:
- A visit to a local Days for Girls micro-enterprise to see how this process is also creating employment followed by a distribution session with a local community.
- Visiting one of the main Days for Girls Centres to take part in activities and workshops they may need assistance with.
- Supporting local a Days for Girls micro-enterprise with workshop support or to help make reusable sanitary kits. Workshops could revolve around subjects including menstrual hygiene and reproductive health training which Days for Girls can offer UK students training in.
We are excited by the prospect of working with such a good cause and for your students to be involved in something which they can truly understand and connect over with local women. All too often it is easy for students and locals to focus on their differences, we believe that this opportunity will really allow them to see their similarities and bond on a higher level. These trips will also demonstrate to your students just how incredible women are all over the world and how important their role in society is in the 21st century.
For more information or if you would be interested in including our work with Days for Girls in a your trip overseas please do not hesitate to get in touch.
If you can’t wait to get involved, why not have a go at making a Days for Girls kit, you can find the instructions here; or encourage your textile teacher buddies to make them on an even bigger scale in class! You can always get in touch with a local UK chapter for help and advice with regards to making your own Days for Girls kits.