In focus: Menstrual Hygiene Day | May 28, 2024

The month of May offers several observances in honor of women and girls, including Mother’s Day, Women’s Health Week, and Menstrual Hygiene Day — observed around the world today, May 28.

Globally, nearly 500 million girls and women lack the basic tools they need to support their menstrual health and hygiene. Inadequate and unsafe sanitation facilities in schools —combined with insufficient period supplies, fear of accidents or teasing, and not enough extra uniforms — lead to girls participating less, missing school, and even dropping out. It’s also hard for girls to get the right information about periods and their changing bodies. Without a knowledgeable and approachable adult, girls reach out to their peers, who often pass on misinformation. These factors and cultural taboos around menstruation result in “period poverty,” which can hinder girls’ ability to succeed in school and lead to lifelong repercussions. Girls’ dignity and basic human rights are jeopardized without the right knowledge, adequate resources, and community support. 

Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, learn how — with the help of partners like you — World Vision is addressing period poverty around the world and here in the U.S.!

World Vision and Sesame Street™: WASH UP! Girl Talk

In partnership with Sesame Workshop™, WASH UP! Girl Talk is empowering children to lead a movement to overcome period poverty. This groundbreaking initiative creates environments that demystify periods and help keep girls in school — and on track for successful futures. Designed for both girls and boys, the curriculum includes facts about puberty and periods, techniques for menstrual hygiene management, and support for girls’ empowerment.

World Vision’s local presence in hard-to-reach schools joins the power of Sesame Street’s beloved characters and child-friendly messaging with WASH UP! Girl Talk. Muppets Didi and Raya reach children, especially girls ages 9 to 14, with a comprehensive program featuring appealing multimedia content. With World Vision’s support schools are equipped to protect girls’ privacy while also making space, physically and socially, to discuss menstrual health issues and seek support from others.

Namushe, 11, participates in a menstrual hygiene management group where girls and boys learn to sew menstrual pads. 

Transformational practices range from basic commitments like making sure girls know they can be excused to attend to menstrual needs during class, to engaging both girls and boys in addressing period-related stigma. With these practices, girls become more comfortable at school and more confidant in general. Boys are equipped with accurate knowledge and change their attitudes to become strong supporters and champions of their female peers. 

Partner spotlight: "Making dignity and health a priority for all"

A community impact story from Chicago, Illinois

Sandra Ramirez providing 13-year-old Yeilyn a makeup bag she can fill with sanitary supplies. Having a bag like this eliminates embarrassment and allows girls to discreetly carry pads and other hygiene items with them.

Over her 18 years of teaching, Sandra Ramirez has seen students’ needs for both physical and emotional support. This includes having access to new school supplies, clothing, and hygiene items, plus someone who listens to and understands them.

Through Sandra’s relationship with World Vision’s Storehouse in Chicago she can help meet all kinds of needs. She sees period poverty firsthand in the lives of teen girls whose families can’t afford menstrual hygiene supplies. It’s something she experienced growing up, and she doesn’t want her students to suffer as she did. "It’s so expensive," she says of these items. "To have good quality ones as well, makes a big difference."

Thanks to the generosity of World Vision’s corporate partners who make product donations including menstrual supplies, like Period Partner^®, she is able to keep a basket filled with supplies right outside her classroom, so girls don’t have to be embarrassed by asking for them. 

Sandra says these donations from World Vision help her to build a rapport with her students as well as fellow teachers who benefit from the hygiene and office supplies she picks up during her monthly visits to the Chicago Storehouse location. "When you’re worried, you can’t learn," she says about her students and what they are going through. 

Her message to the partners supplying these items? "I would just want them to know that they are changing lives, the impact is not just a one-time thing," Sandra says.

"At Period Partner, we're grateful for the opportunity to team up with World Vision in delivering menstrual care products to underserved communities. Together, we’re making dignity and health a priority for all." 

Partner spotlight: Huru International

A Strong Women Strong World partner impact story, by Huru International

During a recent partnership event in Nairobi, Kenya, Huru identified a children’s home for vulnerable girls. We recognized the immediate need for menstrual supplies and education, so we hosted a distribution at the home where we provided essential menstrual health education along with six reusable pads, three pairs of undergarments, soap, resealable plastic bags for storage, and a drawstring bag.

Huru noticed that the girls’ sleeping arrangements were extremely poor and provided new mattresses, bedding supplies, wash basins, and blankets. The girls were thrilled. Shortly after this distribution event, Kenya was struck by severe flooding. With the evacuation of thousands and the need for support became essential, Huru took action and developed “Lifeline Kits” which included clothing, Huru pads, and bars of soap. We have distributed hundreds of these kits throughout the community to individuals affected by the floods.

We look forward to continuing this support to our communities.

 Photos provided courtesy of Huru International.

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Ways to take action

• Save the date! You are invited to join us at 5 p.m. PT on June 13, 2024, for an all-community group call: I wondered about that too! Join fellow NLC, Visionaries, Women of Vision, Next Gen, and Strong Women Strong World partners for this exclusive discussion. Some of our most seasoned experts will answer your questions about all things World Vision. You can submit a question ahead of time by emailing kbendt@worldvision.org. Here's the link to join the call.  

• Double your impact! Every $1 given to Strong Women Strong World^® will be matched with a $1 donation to programs that empower women and girls, thanks to a generous SWSW partner. 
  
  
• Raise your voice on issues affecting women and girls. Join the World Vision Advocates — a community of ordinary people who desire to follow God's call to seek justice! Visit World Vision Advocacy to learn more.
  
  

World Vision's Strong Women Strong World^®

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and emergency response work. Together, we can continue making a difference

in the lives of women and girls and accelerate communities’ progress out of poverty.

Learn more and get involved at strongwomenstrongworld.org.