Menstrual Hygiene Day: Empowering Girls through Education

UMCOR partner El Porvenir, based in Nicaragua

Across the developing world, the number one reason girls drop out of school is the lack of water and sanitation infrastructure to support their periods. Cultural stigmas, religious beliefs, and lack of information cause adolescent girls to feel ashamed of menstruation, as they experience teasing and/or fear of the unknown. Without the knowledge and facilities that they need, most girls will choose to stay home during mensuration rather than face potential disgrace, and thus fall behind in their classes. Menstruation, a girl’s natural physiology, shouldn’t keep girls from going to school.

Read more about what UMCOR is doing at this link.