Period.

So this is something else that I came across lately on a blog that I follow...I never really thought about women in Africa and what they use when their monthly visitor comes along. I can just go to *walmart and buy as many boxes of pads or tampons that I want, not even thinking about an ordinary women in Africa having to deal with her period in such different ways. So upon reading this I have felt led to participate and put together a few kits for the young women in Korah. My mother in law and I will be sewing them up this weekend. If any of you out there are interested you can visit Sarahs blog and get her email address on the right of the page. her blog address is...
http://titus-home.blogspot.com/

Here is her blog post...

For those of you who are not familiar with Korah, here are a few facts:

• Korah in Amharic means "cursed".
  
• 75 years ago the Ethiopian government moved everyone with leprosy to this area of Addis Ababa.
  
• Approximately 100,000 people live in the slums of Korah - the "outcasts" of society.
  
• The city dump is located in Korah.
  
• The people, both adults and children, spend their days digging through the dump searching for anything to eat or sell.
  
• God is alive and well in Korah thanks to Pastor Sammy Liben and Project 61 ministry. They have started an education sponsorship program for the children of Korah.

In Africa

* ordinary woman are unable to afford basic sanitary protection.

* one pack of sanitary pads costs more than 50% of the average monthly wage for women.

* millions of African women are forced to replace tampons/pads with newspapers and dirty rags.

• this can lead to vaginal infections for which there is no available medication.

• these vaginal infections are often mistaken to be sexually transmitted infections leading to social embarrassment and domestic violence.

* wives and mothers are unable to work when they have their periods, further hindering already impoverished families.

* girls are forced to take time off school, further jeopardizing their education.

• because of the economic and cultural crises in Africa, its schools serve as more than academic centers. they provide community resources where young people receive basic care and services, such as food programs, clean water and counseling

Can you even imagine having to use paper and rags? We take so much for granted. To most of us, even the thought is unfathomable. But this is a monthly REALITY for thousands of women and girls, not just in Africa, but around the world.

I have felt burdened and challenged to want to do more than I'm doing. To make a difference in other people's lives and show them God's love in every way I can. And this is such a basic need - something that is not too hard to do provide and it doesn't take a whole lot of money either!!!!

So a group of women and myself have decided to do something about it for the girls of Korah. Since pre-made pads can be very expensive, we are working together to sewing kits that will be delivered to Sumer with Project 61 in Ethiopia, and distributed to the 75 girls attending boarding school in Shashamane. A big thank you to the Red Tent Project for giving us your pattern!!!



BUT before we hardly got started with sewing, our project had expanded!!! We are getting such great response so far with women wanting to help us sew, that we decided to expand the vision. My friend Andrea is part of an organization that works with precious widows and orphans in Zambia - Wiphan. And we would like to provide kits for them too.

Each kit will contain approx:

10 re-usable pads
2 pairs of panties
a drawstring bag

Our goal is to make 300 kits. Yes, you heard right - 300 kits. 3000 pads.

Would you like to help??? Please email Sarah (to get the pattern for both the pads and the drawstring bag, and more information on other ways you can help!!!!

You can go to her blog here... http://titus-home.blogspot.com/ and the link to her email is on the right on her profile picture.