Tloma Giving has partnered with women in the community to start a program at Tloma Primary School whereby sanitary pads can be made available to young girls going through puberty. These pads are called Salama, which means “safe” in Swahili.
Salama pads are provided at low cost so that girls and women in the community can afford them. Salama pads are also washable and reusable, which saves money and reduces impact on the environment. Most importantly, Salama pads can help young girls miss fewer school days.
Lucy Odiwa, founder of WomenChoice Industries, which produces the Salama pad, explains in a World Bank article, “Girls face embarrassment during menstruation and most will have their first period while at school, which can be very frustrating. Many miss school during this time and they simply can’t compete with boys who attend school regularly.”
In the article, Odiwa goes on to say, “Menstruation and access to sanitary pads are challenges that significantly hinder the girl child’s access to continued quality education. Girls who do not have access to pads miss three to four classes each month during their menses, which adds up to 30 to 40 missed days per school year.”
Read the full article: Keeping Tanzania’s Girls in School: Investing in Menstrual Hygiene.
Our president, Winona Perry, explains more about Tloma Primary School and the Salama pads: “We really want to schedule girl health presentations at Tloma Primary School and at other schools to help girls understand how to take care of their bodies, and how they can save a lot of money using the Salama pads. We have some ladies who have received the training to do this.”
The WomenChoice Facebook page says that “Salama Pads have been approved and certified by Tanzania Bureau of standards.”
Photo Credit: WomenChoice Industries Facebook