Las niñas que reconocen y se apropian de su sabiduría, su potencial y su poder se convierten en firmes guardianas de sus proyectos de vida. EMPOWERING GIRLS: Menstruation, Education and Health
Situation
About 80% of young girls lose their self-esteem when they reach puberty due to inadequate information and preparation for the cycle of life. In this uninformed culture, menstruation is viewed as s
hameful, unclean, and something to be hidden; essential sanitary supplies are beyond the financial reach of most. So, girls stay home during 3-5 days each month, missing about a quarter of the school year, falling behind, and losing the education necessary to prepare for a successful life. Solution
This project provides education, opportunity, and sustainable solutions for girls reaching puberty, healthily emphasizing the nature of this process and celebrating the miracles of being a woman. There are three essential facets of this jewel that changes the trajectory of a girl’s life:
Education
Sharing with girls what is happening with their bodies so that they can understand the sacred power of being able to create life empowers them to make informed decisions about their bodies and their lives. Opportunity
Managing their menstrual cycle effectively allows the girls to be present for school and work, thereby increasing opportunities and paths out of poverty. Sustainability
Receiving a kit of effective, washable, reusable products that can last 3 – 4 years, the financial burden of each girl is eased, and the problem of environmentally unfriendly commercial products is solved. This gives the girls dignity, confidence, and healthy solutions.”
Our Methods
The successful transition between childhood and adulthood requires understanding complex physical and psycho-socially dynamics, so we take a holistic approach. Teaching biological science through culturally relevant rituals and spiritual exercises enables girls to embrace their power and capabilities to know their bodies and develop a relationship of love and self-care that leads to making informed decisions. Our methods are based on the Niñas Sabias educational curriculum program that has successfully taught more than 2,500 girls in Mexico and Costa Rica how to manage puberty over the past five years. The program emphasizes understanding and celebrating the sacredness of womanhood and elevates girls’ self-esteem. Girls stay in school and have an equal opportunity to complete their education, reducing gender disparity. Knowledge, pride, self-awareness, peer bonds, and trusted support systems established through the Niñas Sabias method contribute to ongoing success. Training Local Women to Become Teachers
We are working with Niñas Sabias in training local young women on how to empower girls with knowledge and understanding of menstruation and its implications for their education and health. The program consists of a hybrid training of 40 live hours and two months of preparation. Each teacher is given a curriculum to follow so that all girls in all schools learn the same material and become empowered to take control of their lives, complete their education and proudly embrace all that womanhood implies. We are currently preparing ten teachers in San Miguel. Each teacher will present workshops to 5th, 6th, and 7th-grade girls beginning in the fall of 2022. This is creating ten new jobs! Coordinating with Collaborative Authorities
The Secretary of Public Education Guanajuato (SEP) supports the project by providing credentials to our teachers. SEP will schedule four workshops per week in rural primary schools. Each workshop consists of five 2-hour modules empowering 20 girls per workshop. Our goal is to teach 2000 girls over the next twelve months. Making and Distributing Menstrual Management Kits
Each girl completing the workshop will receive a kit of products to manage their periods using washable, eco-friendly sanitary napkins that will last for 3 to 4 years. Kits will be produced locally, providing more job opportunities for local seamstresses. A Small Investment for a Lifetime of Benefit
The cost of teaching 2,000 girls during the 2022-23 school year will be USD 94,000. The price per girl is USD 47, including the Menstrual Management Kit. This is being supported by contributions from our local communities, Rotary Clubs in SMA, the US, Canada, and the Rotary Foundation. Donate to the Empowering Girls project by visiting: https://www.rotarysmamidday.org/campaign.html
Why Rotary Cares
The SMA Midday Rotary Club has been the leader in addressing water, sanitation, and hygiene issues in the SMA region since 2008. In that time, 1450 rainwater catchment systems and 180 dry-composting toilets have been envisioned, funded, and at least begun. The Rotary Foundation, recognized as one of the most effective and well-managed in the world, transforms financial gifts into service projects that change lives close to home and around the world. With The Foundation behind them, Rotary members advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing education, improving environments, and alleviating poverty. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has invested more than $4 billion in life-changing, sustainable projects.
