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Our goal is to provide underprivileged girls with reusable, washable sanitary napkins (RSN).
Many school girls can not afford to purchase sanitary napkins. Therefore they miss classes during their menstruation cycle, many times up to a quarter of the months school session. This is not conducive to learning. For the girls that might be able to afford these products, there is no place to dispose of the used products. The schools, many times just a one room structure and an outhouse does not have the receptacles to dispose of the used products, so they might be in a trash pile near the outhouse, open to animals and children going through the trash. HIV and Aids is also an issue with the blood on the products which could lead to contamination of others.
WISE (Women in Self Employment) an organization which makes the RSN and is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (http://www.ilo.org/kwcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---exrel/documents/project/wcms_228685.pdf).
In the past these products had been made in China, with higher costs and shipment fees.
WISE was a breakthrough because then theydid not have to
worry about logistics, accessibility and sustainability of
the project.
In 2012,when the RSN project began they had a budget of 26,000 birr (Ethiopian currency) or $1372.41. This was paid by a generous donation. It provided RSN's
for 150 girls at Entoto Amba School. At the time, exchange rate was $1 = 18.9 birr.
Composition/Content: Each RSN is made out of cotton, gauze and linen underlining; has 1.6 year life span. Each girl gets a package which contains 8 reusable pads (@15.60 birr each) and 2 panties (@25 birr each) which holds the pad in place. Thus, one package per GIRL has 8 PADS + 2 PANTIES = 175 birr or about $8.03 today.
At present, a small group called, "The Sue Project," has collected donations from women named, Sue, Susie, Suzanne, etc. We are located in the City of Coronado, California. All checks have been made out to the Rotary Club of Coronado. The Rotary Club of Coronado has money earmarked for this project.
Our hope is to provide as many schools in Ethiopia as we can fund, with a package of RSN. With a $9000 grant, we could provide 1,120 girls with supplies to keep them in school.
Girls who stay in school, are much more productive to their society, they are healthier and make wiser decisions.
The Funds from the Coronado Club have been raised. We are hoping to get the grant as soon as possible. The next session of school starts in September. We have the Rotary Club in Ethiopia, ready to distribute the funds as soon as we get them. A bank has been designated for which to wire the funds. We are awaiting your approval.
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