CWA Forrest Darlings - Days for Girls Presentation

Days for Girls is a nonprofit organization that prepares and distributes sustainable menstrual health solutions to girls who would
otherwise miss school during their monthly periods.

Days for Girls began in 2008 when Celeste Mergens was working with a foundation in Kenya assisting an orphanage in the outskirts of Nairobi. In the wake of historic post-election violence, the population at the orphanage had swelled from 400 children to 1,400.

Upon inquiring about the menstrual health practices of the many girls at  the orphanage, Celeste learned that many were sitting on cardboard in their rooms for several days each month –  often going without food unless someone would bring it to them. This set into motion her first intervention: disposable pads. But Celeste and her team quickly discovered that  without any place to dispose of the pads, this was not a viable or sustainable solution. It was time for plan B: a washable, long-lasting pad. Each of the 30 iterations of the Days for Girls Kit that followed would be informed by extensive feedback and designed to meet unique cultural and environmental conditions in communities throughout the world. It quickly became clear just how powerful menstrual health solutions are in helping menstrual women and girls break the cycle of poverty and live their lives with  dignity.

Join us to hear more about their wonderful work from Penny Hooper.