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Teaching Girls in Bolivia How to Make Washable Pads to Stay in School

         My name is Sarah and I am a Girl Scout working on my Gold Award Project: Teaching Girls in Bolivia How to Make Washable Pads to Stay in School. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. After my Silver Award project, “Dresses for Little Girls & Washable Pads for Teens, period”, I felt motivated to continue and expand my previous project. I have a deep-rooted interest in improving the education and lives of girls around the world. I firmly believe in helping girls in my local and global community to make a positive impact in their lives.

        Young girls in developing countries skip up to 20% of school a year because of the lack and high cost of sanitary menstrual pads; many dropping out of school altogether. The use of unsanitary resources in place of sanitary pads leads to infections that aggravate their situation.

        I am going to Trinidad, Bolivia in July 2017 and bringing sewing machines to personally teach young girls and their mothers how to sew washable sanitary pads. As a result, the girls in the rural communities of Bolivia will have the opportunity to go to school, and finish their education, without the added difficulty of worrying about a lack of sanitary pads and resources. The sewing machines will be purchased – using donation money – to bring to the community in Trinidad, for them to keep. UNICEF – Bolivia has put me in contact with Save the Children. Save the Children has connected me with schools in Trinidad, where I will hold the workshops. The sewing machines will remain safe in the schools, for the use of the community to make this a sustainable process.

        In addition to helping the communities in Trinidad, Bolivia, I will hold workshops to make washable pads for my local community. I have encountered the unapparent need of sanitary pads for some girls in my high school. The high cost of menstrual pads forces the girls to resort to other means. In low-income families, menstrual pads are a luxury overlooked. I am going to hold workshops to inform the teachers and school officials. I will – after making the washable pads in the sewing workshops – give each teacher a kit with washable pads, informational brochures, and instructions for the girls.

     
        Please consider donating to this noble cause. The money donated will not be used for my travel expenses to Trinidad, Bolivia. The money will be used solely to pay for: Sewing Machines, Shipping Expenses for the Sewing Machines from the US to Bolivia, Fabric (Cotton, Flannel, PUL) for the Washable Pads, Hand-Held Sewing Machines, Fruit of The Loom (Moisture Wicking) Breathable Micro Mesh Girl Panties: S, M, L and Ziploc Bags for the Sanitary Pads Kits.Girl Panties and Ziploc Bags for the Sanitary Pads Kits.

        I named the blog The Butterfly Effect in the hope that the efforts and results of the project would result in a large-scale wave of positivity in the world. I wish to help the girls in my global and local community. I hope you all consider joining me on this journey of service for others. If you would like to help support this project, please visit here. Thank you for your time.

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