Pads, Pants And A Pound Appeal

How do the ladies in your family manage their periods? Modern sanitary products mean life just carries on as usual.

Teenage girls in FTC (UK)'s programmes in Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe regularly miss one week in four of their education - simply because of their periods.

Girls from poor families are often unable to have sanitary pads, or even underwear, because these items are a luxury they cannot afford.

As a result, menstruating girls just don't go to school - missing out on vital education.

Many of these girls, in Kaberamaido, Uganda, will be missing school for a week every month - just because of their periods

The education of girls in the developing world educates their future families, as well as raising their confidence and aspirations.  Education is key to helping girls overcome some of the obstacles they face.

Can you help teenage girls get the best from their time at school?

Support our Pads, Pants And A Pound Appeal!

We are appealing for :

• Sanitary towels - not tampons - in varying thicknesses.

• Girls' and ladies' pants - ordinary briefs, not thongs or exotic styles!  Sizes can be for approx age 11 up to adult.

• And donations to help us ship the essential goods to the girls.

Are you part of a ladies' group or team?  If you are near one of our offices or collection points, you might like to make a collection of pants and pads to be sent overseas. Please do not put money in the parcel, send it separately in an envelope with your name and address so that we can then match it up.

Please call us if you'd like a poster to put up in your office or club.

How others have helped...

When Julie Davies, Well-being and Health Project Development Officer at Neath Port Talbot, saw Feed The Children (UK)’s appeal for Pads, Pants and £1, she decided to do something about it. Using her contacts Julie got together a group of about 12 women, all friends, family or colleagues, for a Smarty Pants Walk on Sat 3rd Oct.

Although a small event the ladies managed to generate over £50 and each participant brought along at least 2 packs of pads, 2 packs of pants and £5. This figure may rise, however, because some of the ladies have also been collecting for Feed The Children in their workplaces.

They had such fun with their event that the ladies want to encourage other groups to follow suit.  Do you have a group of ladies who would like to have some fun whilst collecting pads and pants for Feed The Children accompanied by money to help the charity ship the pads to where they are needed?

Says Julie, “We kept our first event quite small just to see how it went but we want to make it a regular event and publicise it more so we can continue to meet up to raise money for this great project.

“This is a fantastic cause because just this tiny amount of effort will make a huge difference to women like us - and NOT their governments.

“We can't solve world poverty or create world peace overnight - but we can almost overnight get these girls some pants, pads and dignity.”

As well as pants and pads we need money to get the supplies to the girls, donating is easy...