School For Life is a nonprofit organization which serves girls in rural Uganda and aims to eradicate poverty through education. The organization builds sustainable educational environments by constructing schools and also provides necessary support for girls such as clothing, clean water, and school supplies, addressing the range of barriers which prevent girls from learning. The organization works with families and communities to ensure that projects are integrated in the local context and to foster sustainable development in which communities have ownership over projects that reflect their unique needs. Since its founding, School for Life has built three schools, providing learning opportunities for more than 1,900 students.
Period poverty, defined as the lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, and education, is a persistent challenge in rural Uganda. In a study commissioned by the Netherlands Development Organization, 70 percent of adolescent girls in Uganda referenced menstruation as a major barrier to their full performance in school. Taboos relating to menstruation exacerbate challenges, creating shame and preventing girls from seeking support. Consequently, many girls are at a higher risk for dropping out of school once they reach menstruating age; the Uganda Education and Sports Ministry reports that nearly a quarter of girls will drop out of school after they begin menstruation. Recognizing these challenges, School for Life launched its Menstrual Hygiene Program in 2020 to promote equitable academic participation among girls.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support School For Life’s menstrual health initiatives, which includes education and product distribution. The organization will provide menstrual health kits—produced by local women tailors—to girls in the communities it serves. Each kit will include reusable sanitary pads and a number of other hygiene supplies. School for Life will also offer classes in the community for girls and their family members, focusing on topics such as puberty, managing menstrual pain, and deconstructing common myths relating to menstruation, to name a few.
School for Life expects to support 2,000 girls through its projects, including those who attend its schools as well as those in the broader community. In turn, the organization hopes to reduce rates of student absenteeism and improve rates of school completion among girls. More broadly, the organization seeks to normalize the process of menstruation, removing shame and fear. Through this project, School For Life aims to promote environments—in schools and beyond—that enable girls to learn with dignity and respect.
To learn more about School for Life, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
See more projects: Africa, Education, Menstrual Health