Water and Pads for Schoolgirls – Empowerment for Life is a much needed project carried out by International Alliance of Women (IAW).

By providing a basic menstrual health education in poor rural schools of IAW member countries in Africa and Asia this project can break up taboos around the menstrual cycle and provide a healthy sexual health management for schoolgirls.

At present 9 IAW member organizations are involved in the Water and Pads project. They are successfully planning and organizing their own events in their respective selected schools.

Thanks to the cooperation with UNICEF Burkina Faso the French brochure La puberté et l’hygiène menstruelle served well in several elementary schools in Cameroon, DR Congo and Togo. The IAW member organizations in Zimbabwe, Zambia, India, Nepal and Pakistan were also able to organize successful teaching sessions with primary school pupils using the booklet ABCs of being a Girl edited by UNICEF Malawi. For the secondary school level IAW could rely on a publication edited by Swiss Sexual Health The adapted version is called Entering Womanhood and Devenir Femme en toute sérénité in French.

Until now the girls and boys who had participated were very excited about this education. They learn about the biological cycle as an important part of life and this increases the mutual respect between girls and boys. 

All this is only possible thanks to the professional approach of the IAW teams on site, the close cooperation with the teachers, the support of the parents, the local communities and the regional media.

As the project budget is very tight, more finances are urgently needed.

Your donation is the key for success.

Donate to the Water and Pads project today!

IAW and the schoolgirls say thanks for your help!

Read more about all successful activities on the Water and Pads website.