For many girls in Africa, education isn’t just important for a brighter future, it’s critical to their survival.

Over 70% of girls in South Sudan and northern Uganda missed out on an education which is vital to their future. A lack of education leads to vulnerability, increasing the chance of unwanted pregnancy, human trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic violence, HIV, early marriage and a life of no choices. Yet, girls often drop out of school simply because they can’t afford feminine hygiene products.

Education plays a critical role in breaking the cycle of poverty and violence. When girls are kept in school, they stand a better chance of growing into empowered women who transform their neighbourhoods and nations.

Watoto’s “Keep a Girl in School” Programme

Providing sanitary products

Currently, we are working alongside local schools in northern Uganda and South Sudan to reduce the dropout rate by providing sanitary products, teaching girls their value in Christ and igniting their passion for education. Since we began our efforts we have been able to reduce the dropout rate to 10% in our partner schools, and we are continuing to work hard to help ensure every girl has the chance to stay in school.

Providing Godly sexual education

To support these efforts, we work with the schools to teach good health practices, along with Godly sexual education to girls and boys—teaching young boys to respect and protect their female classmates, and reminding girls that they matter and their bodies are their own.

In 2020, we helped 14,838 girls get hygiene products and education. Our goal is to enable girls to grow up healthily, become capable women, and lead the community to improve lives.

This is the story of Joyce – a girl from South Sudan. In December 2013, a bloody conflict broke out, killing over 300,000 people, and displacing millions. It’s possible that Joyce’s father may be one of those who was lost in the fighting. Today, as a fragile peace takes hold, there are serious difficulties for South Sudan’s people.

In South Sudan, over 2 million children do not attend school.

“Periods were a major reason I would miss school,” says Joyce. “I would use cloths to clean myself when my periods would appear. I felt so uncomfortable and out of place, but what I feared most was the boys noticing. Thank you, because you came to our school and taught us about self-esteem. Now, we are not ashamed of our periods and we thank God for creating us as girls.”

No girl should have her future decided simply because she can’t afford feminine hygiene products. By providing sanitary products and teaching girls their worth, we’re giving hope and a bright future to girls like Joyce.

Together, we can change this.

With only HK$180, you can support a girl with sanitary products for 3 months. Many a little makes a mickle. Let more girls like Joyce be able to stay in school and live a life of purpose.