In many countries, women fall behind on education, miss out on employment opportunities, and live with constant shame because of cultural views, limited access to education, and lack of hygiene resources. Convoy of Hope is working with partners like Days for Girls International to bring hope, opportunities, and dignity to those women.
Convoy worked with Days for Girls to purchase washable menstrual health kits and distribute them through Convoy’s program centers, along with educational materials. These kits were produced and assembled by women and men who run Days for Girls Social Enterprises in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which created jobs and increased income generation for them. Seven thousand kits are completed and will soon be distributed to the women and girls in Convoy’s Women’s Empowerment program. An additional 18,000 kits are currently being produced in Haiti and the Dominican Republic for distribution in 2022.
“Convoy of Hope and Days for Girls have partnered together a number of times since 2019 to reach women and girls in countries such as the Bahamas and Kenya,” said Leyla Isin-Xiong, Chief Programs Officer atDays for Girls. “Our partnership in Haiti to reach 25,000 girls is the next step in this wonderful collaboration. We love working with Convoy of Hope, as our missions and values are aligned and we are mutually committed to elevating local leaders and local solutions within the women’s health sector.”
Convoy of Hope has served in Haiti since 2007. However, its Children’s Feeding program experienced massive growth after the 2010 earthquake that struck the island. Since then, Convoy has established agricultural and empowerment programs to serve even more people.
A Holistic Approach to Menstrual Equity
This project in Haiti is special to Days for Girls because it funds a holistic approach to menstrual equity. In addition, all of the products in the kits are regionally produced in Haiti and the Dominican Republic by local social enterprises.
“Days for Girls has always believed in sustainable solutions, and in supporting and elevating local people to identify and address the challenges in their community, we believe they are the experts,” said Jessica Williams, Days for Girls’ Chief Communications Officer. “Our Social Enterprise program allows us to have a holistic response to menstrual equity, putting the power and solution in the hands of the local people. Only they know what is needed specific to their community, culture, and geography.”
The program provides jobs, income generating opportunities, and longer-term access points to menstrual health products. It also develops the capacity of local thought leaders and changemakers to become trusted in their community and known for being a leader in the conversation on menstrual health.
“The Social Enterprise program is a reflection of the importance of community-based solutions,” said Leyla. “We hear over and over again from social enterprise employees themselves that prior to becoming a seamstress at Days for Girls, many were dependent on others, and experienced challenges providing enough food for their children and sending their kids to school. They tell us that now, because of this program, they have increased income, independence, and the power of choice.”
Fellow seamstresses Yudith and Lovely found the project particularly significant on a personal level. They are Haitian by birth, but left the country in search of better opportunities to support themselves and their loved ones still in Haiti. Because of this project, Yudith and Lovely now have a secure source of income.
“These women and men have been impacted in this project in a very positive way since this project has allowed them to have a secure income that has served to cover their basic needs for food, health, and housing,” said Mrs. Fabia, who manufactures kits and oversees a team of 10 who do likewise. “Thanks to this Convoy of Hope order, we went from six workers in the workshop to 10 people, thus supporting the development of the local microeconomy around the community where the workshop is.”