Hope for girls

In 2016, Hope Springs Water was approached by a school director in Ethiopia. He asked simply, “Do you have anything to empower women?” We were taken aback and began to ask our own questions. We soon learned of the inherent struggle that women and girls in Ethiopia face due to the natural process of menstruation.

When girls begin menarche in the developing world, there is much concern and shame associated with their bodies. Due to the lack of education and communication about this topic, young girls are not prepared to properly care for themselves as they need.

With no dignified approach to manage their menstruation, they are faced with a large obstacle in order to continue their education. Girls resort to using old clothes, bed stuffing, newspaper, leaves, or even cow dung to manage menstruation. These options do not give them the security to be in public without the risk of an embarrassing red stain. Without that security, girls stay home from school and absenteeism starts to climb. As missed days add up and education begins to decline, girls are forced to drop out of school. Missed education greatly affects their future by reducing their earning potential. This causes the circle of poverty to continue in the developing world.

There was no simple answer but Hope Springs Water was determined to help be a part of the solution. We set about building a program designed to help the girls where we work. Through our own research and cultural understanding, Hope for Girls was designed to meet the hygiene and education needs of young girls as they begin menarche. We provide Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) kits and education to help empower these young girls.

Dedicated volunteers work year-round to sew and prepare our MHM kits. These kits can last a girl 2-3 years, takes only an hour to make, and costs less than $10. The investment is small, but the impact can change a life.

During distribution, we work with the school directors in educating children, both boys and girls, about reproductive health and hygiene. We believe that education and communication is the first step to shattering the stigma around the topic of menstruation.

Hope for Girls is always looking for help. The more volunteers and donations received, the more lives are changed. Please consider being a part of our Hope for Girls team today!

Call 903.292.1781