Ending Period Poverty: Dignity, Equality, and Opportunity for Every Girl

This year in Kenya, Grand Circle Foundation celebrated a milestone: schools now have clean, safe water, private cubicles for girls to change in, proper handwashing areas, and even incinerators for safe disposal. But with progress came a hard question: what good are facilities if girls still cannot afford the basics to manage their periods?

The reality is stark. Globally, 500 million women and girls experience period poverty. In Kenya alone, 65% cannot afford menstrual products. That means one million girls miss school every single month. Some improvise with unsafe materials, risking infections. Others face shame and stigma so heavy, they stay home. Some even turn to transactional sex just to buy pads.

These are not just statistics — they are barriers to education, health, and dignity. They are lost dreams.

At Lewis Secondary School, Grand Circle Foundation decided to act. Together with REEpads East Africa, every girl received a reusable menstrual kit — soft, absorbent, and reliable — designed to last for years. More than just a product, each kit is a symbol: periods should never be the reason a girl falls behind.

We also hosted open, honest discussions for both girls and boys — breaking taboos, dismantling stigma, and giving students the language, knowledge, and confidence to speak openly. For some, it was the first time anyone had ever explained menstruation to them.

The result? Empowerment. Confidence. Dignity.

As one REEpads leader said:

“Sanitary pad kits are not just products—they’re a step toward equality, education, and empowerment.”

And she’s right. Because when a girl stays in school, she doesn’t just change her own life — she changes her community.

 

This project at Lewis is just the beginning. Grand Circle Foundation has pledged to expand to all nine schools in our program, ensuring no girl is left behind. Each kit costs only $6 — but the impact is priceless.

Periods should never cause shame. They should never stop education. They should never limit a girl’s potential.
With the right support, today’s generation of young African girls is truly unstoppable.

And to our travellers and donors: this is your ripple effect in action. Your generosity is rewriting stories of struggle into stories of strength.