NERDS RULE INC. Academy 2020-2021 Graduate speaks about his experience as a NRI Fellow and his project he created for his community. John Paul Sseguya created ‘A GIRL CHILD MATTER’.  The project aims at empowering girl children especially those who are still in primary school with skills especially on how they can make their own reusable sanitary pad because on average over 30% of girls leave school because of sanitary pads (4th august 2013 new vision). The government in Uganda has no budget for sanitary pads which can be given to these girls.

Over 50,000 schoolgirls lack sanitary pads, and they end up using banana leaves during the menstruation period (daily monitor 4th July 2019). 86% of girls miss school, due to menstruation (www.fields oflife.org).In 2012 Uganda population census showed that out of 18million women in the country, 24.5% were adolescents aged between 10-19 years most of them living in rural areas and unable to afford sanitary pads. According to the government statistics only 57% of girls complete primary education in Uganda and the major cause is menstruation.one sanitary pad costs 5000 Ugx which is equivalent to $1.36 so most families can't afford this money every month since most families leave below average dollar a day which $1 dollar equivalent to 3700ugx a day . So, you find out that most girls can't afford to get sanitary pads.