Her period shouldn't cost her an education.
You can end this for one girl with $25. At Buyanga Primary School, 99% of girls have gone without pads because of money. 94% manage with scraps of cloth. Nearly every one misses school — about twenty days a year, a month of learning, gone. Your $25 keeps one girl in class for a full year.
A simple, preventable barrier to education.
In June 2026, our program manager sat down with the girls of Buyanga Primary School and asked them what happens when their period comes. The answers were not complicated: 99% had failed to get pads in the last three months because there was no money.
To manage, 94% of respondents use folded scraps of old clothing or rags instead of a menstrual product. Among 168 valid responses, only nine students reported using disposable or reusable pads.
This lack of basic hygiene forces them to stay home. Almost every girl told us she misses school during her period — losing two to three days every cycle. Over a school year, that is around twenty days of education lost per girl. A month of school, every year, paid for with cloth and shame.
The Keep Girls in School Kit
We asked the girls what would help, and they told us: pads first, underwear just as urgently, and pain relief. Here is what your gift buys and distributes directly at the school:
Menstrual Hygiene Kits
Washable, multi-year reusable pad kits for older girls, and disposable hygiene packs for younger students.
Underwear (2 Pairs)
A basic necessity often unavailable due to poverty. Two pairs of durable cotton undergarments accompany every kit.
Pain Relief Medication
Severe cramping leads to school absence even when pads are available. We supply pain relief to ensure physical comfort.
Stocked School Sick Bay
A safe, private space on campus with backup products, pain relief, and guidance from a trusted female mentor.
Select your level of support
Every dollar you give buys back more than a day of a girl's education. We costed every shilling with suppliers in Uganda: products cost $5–6 per girl per year, and your $25 covers underwear, pain relief, delivery, and ongoing monitoring.
One Girl, One Year
Can provide one girl with a menstrual hygiene kit (reusable pads, underwear, and pain relief) for a full year.
Sponsor at this LevelTwo Girls & Clinic Support
Can provide menstrual hygiene kits for two girls and replenish the school clinic's period pain relief.
Sponsor at this LevelStudy Group Sponsor
Can provide period kits and underwear for a study group of four girls for a full year.
Sponsor at this LevelTen Girls Sponsor
Can sponsor reusable pad kits, underwear, and clinic period pain relief for ten girls for a full year.
Sponsor at this LevelWe measure what we promise.
Most pad drives hand out products and hope. We established a baseline first: a survey with 173 girls, plus the school's own attendance registers.
Throughout 2026–27 we are tracking exactly how many school days the girls recover, and we will publish the results in 2027. If it works the way evidence suggests, your $25 doesn't just buy pads — it buys back about 15 days of school a year for a girl who was losing 20.
Every Dollar Documented
- 100% goes directly to Uganda programs
- Ongoing monitoring on site
- Verified attendance tracking
- Registered 501(c)(3) tax receipt
Keep girls in school.
Your gift will directly fund the purchase and distribution of pad kits, underwear, and school health period pain relief stock for girls at Buyanga Primary School.
If you prefer to send a check, donate stock, or manage a donor-advised fund transfer, please visit our Donate page for instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why reusable pads for older girls and disposables for younger ones?
Older girls are mature enough to wash, dry, and maintain reusable kits, which last multiple years, making them highly cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Younger girls often need disposable pads while they build confidence and understanding of menstrual health.
Why do you include underwear in the program?
During our assessments in June 2026, girls shared that they couldn't use pads simply because they didn't own any underwear. A pad is useless without undergarments, so GVC includes two pairs of high-quality underwear in every girl's kit.
How do you track attendance and verify results?
We established a baseline survey in June 2026 and coordinate with Buyanga Primary School's administration to track attendance records. We will publish the verified results at the end of the school year in 2027 to prove how many days of school were saved.
Is GVC a registered nonprofit?
Yes. Global Village Connect is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. U.S. donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive a receipt for your records.
Can my school, company, or group sponsor a grade?
Absolutely. Sponsoring all 279 girls in the upper classes costs $1,930. We love working with schools, churches, synagogues, and companies. Please contact us to set up a custom sponsorship.