Huru keeps girls in school during their periods by supplying them with reusable sanitary pads, produced in Huru’s plant by young women trained to use industrial sewing machines. To date, more than 320,000 girls have been the recipients of over 2,300,000 reusable sanitary pads.
Here's how it all began, and why.
Huru International was founded in 2008 in Mukuru kwa Njenga, one of the largest slums in Nairobi, Kenya. While AmericaShare’s co-founder, Lorna Macleod, was working in Mukuru on HIV prevention, she found that girls and women faced significant barriers to managing their periods.
Consequently, girls in East Africa who can't afford sanitary pads very often miss school during their periods, losing as much as an entire month each school year. The girls who miss school or work fall behind, and often drop out or quit, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and gender inequality.
Girls who have no education are three times as likely to marry by age 18, which not only negatively impacts the lives of the girls, but also their children and ultimately, their countries. Child brides are more likely to stop going to school, and experience early pregnancy, domestic violence, pregnancy complications, and malnourishment.
Huru's mission, beyond providing menstrual pads to vulnerable girls in Africa, is to educate young women (and men) about sexual and reproductive health, provide job skills training to young women in Nairobi, and remain a positive presence in the community.
In communities and schools across Africa, millions of impoverished girls and young women struggle to safely manage their periods. They lack access to essentials such as menstrual products, reproductive health and wellness education, and often endure shame and stigmas. Not only does this put their health at risk, it can also disrupt their education, diminish their well-being, self-esteem and impact their entire lives.
The mission of Huru International is simple. it is to support girls and young women who don't have access to menstrual pads and health education throughout East Africa. We do this by providing them with reusable menstrual pads and comprehensive reproductive health and wellness education. We want to help these girls and young women so they have opportunities for better futures.
In 2008, Huru began manufacturing reusable sanitary pads to distribute to girls and young women throughout East Africa. These are distributed in free Huru Kits-each kit consists of a colourful drawstring backpack with six reusable pads; three pairs of underwear; detergent-grade soap for washing pads; two resealable waterproof bags for safe storage of used pads; and educational materials on HIV prevention and reproductive and sexual health. Huru uses menstrual health as a gateway to discuss broader sexual and reproductive health topics including STI and HIV prevention, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM), and more.
Huru goes were it matters most. We use our vast network to find girls who most need our help. Huru teams go into schools, rescue centers, and community centers across East Africa to distribute supplies and educate girls and young women.
Employment
In addition, Huru is proud to employ over 100 local women and men in Mukuru, the second-largest slum in Nairobi.
Training
1 in 5 Kenyans are between the ages of 15 and 24, and unemployment for this group is the highest of all East African nations. Huru provides a 4-month Skills Development Program that equips young women in Nairobi with essential, in-demand job skills and basic business acumen to pursue a higher-wage job in the textile industry or—as has happened!—open their own local tailoring businesses. This program has graduated several classes of women who are now on a road towards financial independence and a brighter future.
As noted, Huru manufactures reusable sanitary pads—more than 2,300,000 to date—which have been distributed
in free Huru Kits to more than 320,000 girls in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The impact of Huru Kits, in the words of two recipients:
"I never used to go to school when I had my period. Now, I am working hard to catch up in school and hope one day to become an accountant." —Gloria, age 15
"Having Huru pads will help me live a normal life like other girls. When girls receive pads, they are empowered to achieve their highest potential."—Monica, age 14
