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When a Girl Misses School for Something She Cannot Control

For many girls in developing countries like Uganda, something as natural as a monthly menstrual cycle can quietly become a barrier to education.

Without access to feminine hygiene products, girls often miss several days of school every month. Some stay home to avoid embarrassment. Others try to manage using old cloth, scraps of fabric or even leaves, solutions that are unreliable, uncomfortable and not sanitary.

Over time, these missed days add up.

A girl may miss up to 20% of the school year simply because she does not have the supplies needed to manage her period with dignity.

Many girls begin to fall behind.

Some eventually drop out of school altogether.

What should be a normal part of life becomes a source of shame, fear, and lost opportunity.

But thanks to one compassionate supporter, the story for the girls in our program is very different.

A Simple Gift That Changes Everything

We are deeply grateful for Donna*, whose generosity ensures that every girl of menstruation age in the Hands of Love program receives feminine hygiene products throughout the school year.

Because of her support, our girls can:

• Attend school consistently

• Avoid health issues related to improper feminine hygiene products

• Maintain dignity and confidence

• Focus on learning instead of fear

• Continue pursuing the future God has placed before them

Something that may seem small can be life-changing for a young girl.

One of our staff members understands this impact personally.

Hailey’s* Story: From Struggle to Impact

Before joining the Hands of Love team, Hailey was once a vulnerable student facing the same challenges many girls still experience today.

She recently shared this message of gratitude to our Hands of Love Sponsor of Feminine Hygiene for all girls in our program:

Dear Donna,

My name is Hailey and I work with Hands of Love in Uganda. I have written this thank you note on behalf of the girl children we serve. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your generosity in providing sanitary towels to our girls. Your investment in their dignity and well-being is invaluable.

Growing up, I faced significant challenges related to menstrual hygiene during my senior school days. When I started Senior One, my mother and father had parted ways and financial resources were very limited. My mother could not afford sanitary towels, which many people saw as a luxury.

My only option was to use torn clothing during my monthly menstruation, just as I had seen my older sisters do. Sometimes I asked other girls to share part of their sanitary towels with me, but I could not do this every month because it became humiliating.

This struggle caused me to lose self-esteem and dignity. Yet I am grateful that God is gracious. Even in those trials, He cared for me and His grace was sufficient.

Today I am happily married, and I feel great joy whenever the time comes to distribute hygiene products to the girls in our program.

Please know how grateful we are for your commitment to empowering girls and giving them the opportunity to attend school without disturbance.

Thank you for being a source of hope and support.

May God bless you abundantly.

How This Began — And How You Can Help

After reading about the challenges girls face without feminine hygiene products in Uganda, Donna simply asked, “How can I help?”

Because she followed that prompting, every girl in our program now receives the supplies she needs to stay in school with dignity and confidence.

What might God be placing on your heart?

Your compassion could help provide education, dignity, and hope for the children of Hands of Love.

*names changed for privacy