The pad project
In the U.S., most young girls receive education on menstruation in school and/or at home, but that is not the situation in Haiti. In Haiti, a different culture exists. Our surveys of women and girls found that upwards of 43% of women did not know what menstruation was until they got their first period. In addition sanitary pads are not easily accessible to most women because they are expensive. Women often resort to using rolled up cloth, mostly from used T-shirts or sheets, which is uncomfortable, non-hygienic, and can lead to infections. Haiti Projects’ “Pad Project” is a joint initiative with The Mahila Partnership designed to address the menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls.
Miss Joseph, one of HP’s nurses, leads the project, conducting education sessions and distributing HP’s sanitary pads at our mobile clinic sites.
The Pad Project addresses these issues by:
- Educating women about menstruation and hygiene
- Designing and making a hygienic reusable sanitary for girls at the artisanat workshop.
- Putting 50 women to work sewing reusable sanitary pads.
To support Haiti Projects and our pad project, please visit SHOP MAISON D’HAITI or visit our DONATE PAGE.
Your purchases and donations help to keep nearly 100 women of our community employed at Fair Trade wages, support our beekeeping and soccer programs, boost self-confidence and help women to become leaders of their community. The income these women bring in is critical as they are, in many cases, the sole caregivers for their children and a source of strength for their community.