We want to address socially stigmatized issues, beginning with menstruation. Our school falls under federal programs with a Title 1 distinction, meaning at least 40% of our population is on free and reduced lunch. Many of the girls in our school have expressed they cannot afford sanitary products, and/or, they have been embarrassed to ask for what is available in the nurses's office. We want to destigmatize the period, and provide quality products to all students who need them.
We are providing equitable access to menstruation products by hosting donation drives and fundraisers to purchase products. We are also holding mini education sessions after school to teach students about their period, and to empower them to embrace it as a part of their bodies. If funded, we will be able to purchase the remaining containers needed in order to safely stock each of the school bathrooms with the products that have been donated. We would also be able to purchase more products for later use.
The project went well! It was a success, all eight of our school bathrooms were continuously fully stocked with menstruation products all throughout the school year.
The All Love Club learned that a service to other is also a service too oneself. Although we are a small community, it felt as if we made a world of a difference.
If we were to do this again All Love could benefit from the help of other clubs at our school. We could benefit from better spreading the word.
Our favorite part of this project was knowing that many girls felt safe at our school, knowing that products would always be accessible.
Forty-nine percent of females have missed a day of school due to their period, and 16.9 million people are affected by period poverty. The work we are doing truly does have an impact, and hopefully can one day, minimize these statistics.
