Days For Girls International

Advocacy, Education & MLE Program Services:To create meaningful impact that lasts, Days for Girls pursues advocacy work that shifts social norms and creates more supportive policy environments for menstruators worldwide. From campaigning and capacity-building to cultivating strategic partnerships, our advocacy efforts are critical to shifting the menstrual health space in a way that stands the test of time. One of our main advocacy initiatives in 2023 was the Period Positive Workplace Campaign (PPW). This initiative advances menstrual equality at work by galvanizing private sector support and encouraging companies to become PPWs that 1) Provide period products in or near workplace bathrooms 2) Meet WHO's global water, sanitation and hygiene standards. 3) Inform employees via a formal notice that period products are and will continue to be provided. We have 149 PPW certified workplaces reaching 145,425 employees globally. Another example is the development and roll out of our Menstrual Health Country Snapshots. Informed by menstrual health experts, these reports examine the status of individual countries' MH policies, rights and challenges and provide a significant resource for menstrual health data and information.Education:Days for Girls menstrual health education aims to improve access to comprehensive, timely and age-appropriate menstrual health education. While others in the MH field focus exclusively on girls, DfG brings tailored, culturally specific education both to women and girls and boys and men-who are key allies for change. By taking a community approach, DfG establishes long-lasting allies and environments of menstrual health support. DfG education: 1. Increases knowledge of puberty, menstruation and reproduction (females and males)2. Increases confidence in managing menstruation (females)3. Increases confidence in discussing puberty and menstruation with others (females and males)4. creates positive shifts in attitudes surrounding puberty and menstruation (females and males, including decreased shame and embarrassment)5. creates positive Positive shifts in menstrual experiences after receiving a DfG washable pad (females)DfG menstrual health education curricula is delivered as stand alone activity and alongside the distribution of DfG Washable Pad Kits. It opens life-changing conversations about dignity and self-worth. It is where we celebrate women and girls and change the narrative from shame to empowerment. DfG menstrual health curricula consists of eight modules of sexual and reproductive health topics covering: hygiene, puberty, anatomy, the menstrual cycle, reproduction, self-defense, human trafficking and DfG Kit care. Meanwhile, we include men and boys in our community outreach through our Men Who Know health curriculum. This provides them with vital health information, including about menstruation, and encourages them to be allies and champions of change in their own communities; shifting the narrative from shame and embarrassment to one of pride and strength. In 2023, DfG reached 409,987 people with menstrual health education.MLE:To measure the effectiveness and impact of our programs DfG conducts Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation of both outputs and outcomes. Primarily we measure changes in knowledge, confidence, attitudes and menstrual experiences, through a mix-methods approach of quantitative and qualitative methods including pre/post/follow up surveys, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Data is clean, analyzed and reports written for program enhancement and data informed decision making and external communications and advocacy efforts. In 2023, DfG conducted MLE in 6 countries including Uganda, Cambodia, Nepal, Malawi and Bhutan.

Program Offices, Enterprises, Volunteers & Outreach Program Services:Days for Girls has Program Offices in Kenya, Uganda, Nepal, Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa. These locally operated Program Offices represent DfG in their respective countries and oversee and implement DfG programming including the production of DfG Washable Pad Kits, Delivery of DfG menstrual health education and National-level Advocacy. In 2023, the Program Offices reached a total of 95,083 people.Social Enterprises:In 2023, DfG 90 Social Enterprises reached 195,088 people with access to locally produced menstrual health products and menstrual health education across 28 countries. In 2023, DfG Social Enterprises employed 451 people (85% of which are female). 223 Enterprise leaders and employees participated in in person and virtual trainings delivered by DfG on topics including business, accounting, sales, marketing, sewing quality, advocacy and menstrual health education.Volunteers:Days for Girls Chapters, Teams and Clubs unite to spread awareness, raise funds, sew DfG washable pads and elevate the efforts of locally-run Social Enterprises. DfG advocacy volunteers and partners lend their time and talents to advance menstrual health policy in their communities. In 2023, DfG 14,078 volunteers (grouped into 523 Chapters, Teams and Clubs) reached 173,108 people with access to menstrual health products and menstrual health education globally. This includes reaching 6,126 people in Venezuela, 2,700 people affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, 10,000 people in Cuba, 16,176 refugee women and girls in Burundi, 2,990 people in Gaza and 4,878 people in response to the earthquake in Morocco. In 2023, DfG volunteers also reached 16,879 people locally in the United states.In 2023, DfG reached 409,987 people with menstrual health programming including 368,196 people with period products.