With the MoonCatcher Project, This Woman Supplies Reusable Menstrual Pads to African Girls to Help Them Stay in School
With the MoonCatcher Project, She Provides Reusable Menstrual Pads to African G…
At least once a month, Ellie von Wellsheim presides over sewing bees where she guides the hands of volunteers as they sew pieces of brightly colored fabric into reusable menstrual pads. The pads are destined for girls in Uganda, Malawi, and a host of other developing countries that lack the money and access to purchase feminine hygiene products.
“To put it simply, we try to keep girls in school,” said Ellie, who is the founder of The MoonCatcher Project. “When it first came to my attention that there were girls dropping out of school because they had no way of dealing with menstruation, I was shocked.”
According to Femme International, “In East Africa, menstruation is one of the biggest reasons why adolescent girls miss school. Poor menstrual management is also the leading cause of reproductive tract infections in women globally.”
“Life is really hard if you can’t take care of this most basic thing that happens to women,” Ellie said. “And, we really want these girls to end up being in control – and be confident and be comfortable.”
