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Australian cruisers LOVE the South Pacific.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Aussies are welcomed
with open arms and even wider smiles by our South Pacific neighbours. They
share their stunning beaches, their tropical delights and extend an immeasurable
hospitality ensuring visitors leave with lifelong happy memories.
Now, behind those beaming smiles, I never would have guessed that many young and older women hide a hidden ‘shame’. In my privileged life, this ‘shame’ is foreign to me and actually unfathomable. When I found out what this ‘shame’ was, I was incredulous. HOW the blippity-bleep can this reality exist in 2017 at our doorstep?
This 'shame'? GIRLS do not have PADS. You read that right: they do NOT have sanitary items to use during their monthly flow. They just can’t afford to buy them.
Would you like to know what these young, human girls use? Every month, they use bits of old rags while others use leaves. YES, dirty, unhygienic, leaves. Could you imagine sending your daughter to school in this condition?
As a mother of three girls – and a woman – I felt a sudden urge of white-hot anger, followed by a deep sadness. There is no way I could go to sleep tonight knowing this information and do NOTHING.
Putting the issue of hygiene and comfort aside, this reality has wider ramifications. These darling girls are too embarrassed to go to school while they are menstruating – so they don’t. Girls can miss up to 3 days per week, every month. In a year, this adds up to more than a month off school. They fear the humiliation of being caught out at school, and I know from experience, every woman in the world can relate to this fear of embarrassment due to a leak. In a young girl’s head, this fear is amplified a hundred-fold.
So, they miss out on school, fall behind and even drop out. This creates a widespread situation where women have less education, less opportunity, and less say in their communities.
Australian cruisers LOVE the South Pacific.
Now, behind those beaming smiles, I never would have guessed that many young and older women hide a hidden ‘shame’. In my privileged life, this ‘shame’ is foreign to me and actually unfathomable. When I found out what this ‘shame’ was, I was incredulous. HOW the blippity-bleep can this reality exist in 2017 at our doorstep?
This 'shame'? GIRLS do not have PADS. You read that right: they do NOT have sanitary items to use during their monthly flow. They just can’t afford to buy them.
Would you like to know what these young, human girls use? Every month, they use bits of old rags while others use leaves. YES, dirty, unhygienic, leaves. Could you imagine sending your daughter to school in this condition?
As a mother of three girls – and a woman – I felt a sudden urge of white-hot anger, followed by a deep sadness. There is no way I could go to sleep tonight knowing this information and do NOTHING.
Putting the issue of hygiene and comfort aside, this reality has wider ramifications. These darling girls are too embarrassed to go to school while they are menstruating – so they don’t. Girls can miss up to 3 days per week, every month. In a year, this adds up to more than a month off school. They fear the humiliation of being caught out at school, and I know from experience, every woman in the world can relate to this fear of embarrassment due to a leak. In a young girl’s head, this fear is amplified a hundred-fold.
So, they miss out on school, fall behind and even drop out. This creates a widespread situation where women have less education, less opportunity, and less say in their communities.
Care Australia have come up with a way
to help. With your donation, they can provide reusable pads and support to girls in
Tanna, Vanuatu, to help them stay in school. I implore you to help raise $44,000, which will help 560 girls
across 10 schools continue their education. Each girl will
receive a hygiene kit containing two pad holders to clip to her underpants,
eight washable and reusable pad liners, two pairs of underwear, hand soap,
laundry detergent and a bucket for washing her pads.
I challenge you to donate the cost of ONE cocktail, say $15. Together WE can change the lives of girls, help break the poverty cycle and help girls focus on their education, not menstruation. Thank you
I challenge you to donate the cost of ONE cocktail, say $15. Together WE can change the lives of girls, help break the poverty cycle and help girls focus on their education, not menstruation. Thank you