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.