"Help Empower Girls in Rural Kenya"

Imagine being a teenaged girl and not being able to go to school for a week when you have your period. In rural Kenya, girls sometimes use old rags or tissue paper instead of disposable or washable menstrual pads. This is the reality for girls at Makhanga Hope Academy and throughout developing countries. It's very difficult for girls to complete their education and this is just another barrier to their success.

Makhanga Hope Academy, a secondary school in semi-rural North West Kenya is taking a unique approach to solving this problem. They have decided that the most sustainable and far reaching approach is to teach their students how to sew washable menstrual pads and we have partnered with them to raise the funds to make it happen. By integrating the process into the school's curriculum, the girls learn a variety of skills, such as math and problem-solving, that will serve them through out their lives.
To achieve this goal the school needs to buy sewing machines, fabric, needles, thread, scissors and Velcro. All of these can be bought in Nairobi for approximately $4,300. Girls will learn to sew, making pads, a drawstring bag and a smaller drawstring bag made from waterproof fabric for used pads. The patterns are very simple and easy to follow. I made several pads and sent them along with the patterns.

Changing the world is not always easy but your donation is an opportunity to empower girls and give them skills to last them a life time.

Visiting Africa was a life changing experience for us. Part of that experience was meeting Tony Marangabassa and learning about how he and his wife, Eunice founded a school originally to serve orphans. Makhanga Hope Academy now has 347 students.

Your tax-deductible donation will go to the African Angels Children's Education Fund , earmarked for the Menstrual Pad Project.

Thanks so much for considering joining us in making this worthwhile project happen.

Bonnie Shelley and Terry Garahan