The situation in the community
Limited access to suitable menstrual-hygiene products remains a serious obstacle for many schoolgirls in rural and low-income communities in Uganda. Without reliable access to pads, students may depend on improvised materials such as cloth or paper, experience discomfort and anxiety during the school day, or remain at home during their menstrual cycles. Repeated absences can reduce classroom participation and create longer-term educational disadvantages.
The project proposal highlights research commissioned by the Netherlands Development Organisation and Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sport indicating that 65% of girls and women surveyed were unable to meet all their menstrual needs, including access to pads or tampons. It also reports that 70% of adolescent girls identified menstruation as a major obstacle to performing at their best in school. The Safe Pads Initiative responds with a practical product alongside guidance on its safe and hygienic use.
The implementation plan
The initiative will purchase and distribute 900 AFRIpads Schoolgirl Kits at a cost of €5 per kit, creating a total funding requirement of €4,500. AFRIpads is a Ugandan social enterprise producing reusable sanitary pads through a design developed with school-aged girls. Each kit uses an all-in-one design with wings and buttons, a stay-dry top layer and absorbent core layers, and can be washed and reused for more than two years.
The Nile Humanitarian Development Agency will identify schools where access to menstrual products remains limited, coordinate distribution with school administrations, manage local logistics and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Distribution will be accompanied by sanitation guidance so that students understand how to use, wash, dry and store the products correctly. Photographs, distribution records and implementation updates will document delivery to the selected school communities.
The organisation’s account of expected impact
The project will directly provide approximately 900 school-age girls with dependable menstrual-hygiene materials. Because each kit is designed to remain usable for more than two years, one distribution can provide support across many menstrual cycles, reducing repeated expenditure on disposable alternatives and helping students manage their periods with greater comfort, privacy and confidence.
The Nile Humanitarian Development Agency expects improved access to suitable products and practical hygiene guidance to help students attend school more consistently and participate more fully in classroom activities. NIA’s participating students and schools will be able to follow the distribution through photographic evidence and partner updates, connecting their fundraising directly to the girls and school communities receiving support.