Padher Initiative

Breaking down barriers so young African schoolgirls from underserved communities can take control of their futures. THE ISSUE One in 10 girls in Africa miss school during their periods to avoid the embarrassment of bleeding through their uniforms. Some use unhygienic items like cloth, socks, leaves, or dry grass instead of pads, which can lead to infections. Many girls drop out of school once they start menstruating. Should our young girls miss 20% of school days or drop out because of a lack of information or sanitary products? The plain answer is NO! There’s already a lot standing in their way; from pervasive poverty to persistent cultural attitudes, to forced early marriages and child labour. Periods shouldn’t be one of them! Many girls face period poverty (lack of access to menstrual products and education) due to financial barriers, stigma, and a lack of education about periods, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made things worse. OUR SOLUTION We are a women-led non-profit organization dedicated to educating and mentoring young African schoolgirls from underserved communities about periods, puberty, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through comic books and animations. Each of our comic books comes with 3 free reusable sanitary pads, a pair of underwear, and a unique period bracelet to help track their cycle and ensure they are always prepared with a pad in their school bag. At PadHer, we use the power of storytelling through comic books and animations to transform how we educate girls about periods, puberty, and SRHR topics. We are PadHer. We educate, mentor, and equip young African schoolgirls to manage their periods effectively and with confidence, breaking down barriers so they can take control of their futures.