Breaking down barriers to girls’ education.
A recent UNICEF report on education in Rwanda noted that girls are more likely to drop out of school. Period poverty negatively affects girls’ attendance and performance in schools. At least 20% of schoolgirls in Rwanda, particularly in rural areas, miss up to 50 days of school per year as they face barriers to safe, hygienic, and dignified menstruation. 
Our aim is to break down barriers to girls’ education through the provision of appropriate hygiene facilities and menstrual health education. The availability of clean hygiene facilities, sanitary products and menstrual health education, together with counselling support from school matrons, motivates girls to attend school more regularly, thus enhancing their academic potential, performance and life opportunities.
We are aiming to provide each of our 9 partner schools in Bugarama, with a first-rate Girls Hygiene Room equipped with consulting room, a room for students with 4 bunk beds, shower and latrine and a room for teachers with bed, shower and latrine. These units have been described as unique in Rwanda because of the inclusion of facilities for teachers. 
Each unit costs around £15,000. We have built 5 Girls’ Rooms to date, with 4 more to go. 
We are also providing all girls of menstrual age at our partner schools with dignity bags, made locally, containing pads, underwear, soap, wash cloth and Vaseline. The estimated cost comes to £10,000. 
In addition, school matrons have been trained in counselling and menstrual health education.