Carol presented us with the background of the “Days for Girls” project and her involvement with a number of other  volunteers aiming to fulfil the goals of “Days for Girls”

Carol gave us a demonstration of making the kits and explained how we could either be involved as an independent group, or as part of an existing group of ladies supporting the project .

Days for Girls was founded in 2008, when Executive Director Celeste Mergens prepared to travel back to Kenya to continue working with orphanages and communities in the wake of great political and economic upset. One night she awoke with a burning question: “Have you asked what the girls are doing for feminine hygiene?” When she asked the assistant director of the orphanage she was working with,  the answer was shocking: “Nothing. They wait in their rooms.” 

 

The conditions were cramped, unsanitary, and would leave girls without food and water for days unless someone brought it to them. Furthermore, sanitary products were available, but only if girls were willing to suffer sexual exploitation in exchange. This moment was the beginning of awareness to the vulnerability millions of women and girls face throughout the world every month, simply due to this basic biological function. These women and girls suffer in silence, due to cultural ideas and taboos surrounding this issue. Because of this, girls and women feel that they are tainted, or fundamentally flawed or less in some way.

Self-esteem and empowerment start at the most basic, biological level. Dignity is restored through remembering that there is nothing wrong with being a woman, but rather that being a woman should be celebrated. Days for Girls was born for the purpose of elevating girls and women out of vulnerable situations like those found on that very first distribution.

Since 2008, Days for Girls has worked in over 60 countries on 6 continents, proving that this is truly a global issue. DfG’s mission is to empower girls and women worldwide with more dignity, health and safety through access to quality sustainable menstrual health management and health education. This simple intervention is key to ensuring women and girls have the tools necessary to break the cycles of poverty. Hygiene solutions give back days of school, work, mobility, and freedom that are otherwise missed.

Days for Girls is working to ensure that in the future, women and girls no longer go without. The target is Every Girl. Everywhere. Period. By 2022. This is an audacious goal. In the past 5 years, Days for Girls has proved time and time again that audacious goals can and will be reached. However, DfG’s accomplishments would not have been possible without the tremendous support of a passionate and motivated global volunteer network.