{"id":21909,"date":"2025-02-26T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org\/?p=21909"},"modified":"2025-02-27T13:26:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T18:26:18","slug":"how-fighting-period-poverty-stops-exploitation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.destinyrescue.org\/blog\/how-fighting-period-poverty-stops-exploitation\/","title":{"rendered":"How Fighting Period Poverty Stops Exploitation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cThe girl-child is really suffering.\u201d<\/h5>\n

So said Michael, a teacher in rural Kenya during a recent interview. After a decade of guiding students in the impoverished district, he knew the children\u2019s struggles all too well. Poverty-induced desperation leads to all sorts of hardship, but girls face unique challenges.<\/p>\n

Many are woefully unprepared for their first period; for a child who doesn\u2019t know what\u2019s coming, sudden, unexplained bleeding during class can be a frightening, embarrassing experience. Girls desperately searching for a way to maintain a semblance of normalcy during menstruation find that menstrual pads are prohibitively expensive for families barely earning enough to survive, a frustrating fact that causes even more embarrassment.<\/p>\n

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The girl cannot afford (pads). Upon feeling shame about this\u2026 she\u2019ll forget about studying, and she\u2019ll forget about her future,\u201d said Chase, a rescue agent in Kenya.<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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The result is nothing less than devastating. Lost time in school leads to lower grades and higher dropout rates, which lead to difficulty finding a job. As a result, many of these girls find themselves forced into sexual exploitation just to survive. Social stigma about menstruation only compounds their suffering by complicating their developing sense of self-worth. <\/p>\n

Girls on their period sometimes approach teachers like Michael for help, but many small schools simply don\u2019t have the resources to help. With no menstrual products to distribute and no alternatives for care, teachers are left with few options. \u201cMore often than not\u2026 we are forced to send them home,\u201d Michael said sadly.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Michael\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t

Michael assists a student in his classroom<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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An unfulfilled need<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a serious problem facing millions around the globe. The World Bank estimates that 500 million women and girls don\u2019t have access to menstrual products or proper facilities for menstrual hygiene<\/a>. That means that items like tampons, pads or even sanitary restrooms are simply not available for those who desperately need them.<\/p>\n

For these girls, it\u2019s impossible to continue life as normal when menstruating. Those who do try to keep attending school may try to make do by using less sanitary methods to control their flow, like toilet paper or cloth. We\u2019ve had some reports of girls even using leaves to get by. Such makeshift methods are not only ineffective but can lead to dangerous infections.<\/p>\n

More often, girls are forced to simply put their lives on hold when menstruating, halting school or work completely until the bleeding stops.<\/p>\n

But access to products is only half the battle: a lack of education and prevalent social stigma make menstruating immeasurably more difficult.<\/p>\n

Alone in a crowd<\/h2>\n

Many girls don\u2019t even know what to expect when their first period begins.<\/p>\n

Uneducated children find themselves in uncharted territory. Frightened by the sudden bleeding and reeling from unfamiliar feelings, an already difficult time of life becomes unbearable when coupled with community stigma in under-resourced schools. \u201cA girl going through difficulty during her menses may have anxiety or feel neglected. They [often] feel unloved,\u201d Mercy, a Destiny Rescue caseworker, said.<\/p>\n

Uncertain and afraid, these children often withdraw socially and mentally, worried about how to maintain their menstruation even as they hide it from others. \u201cLow concentration in class leads to them having poor grades in school,\u201d Mercy points out.<\/p>\n

Immature cruelty from other students only compounds the pressure.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The bullying and harassment will make (her) feel like there\u2019s no reason to go to school.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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Mercy meets with a survivor at her school<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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The domino effect<\/h2>\n

In impoverished communities, academic failure reaps dire consequences<\/a>. Girls who cannot complete school are left with very few employment options, increasing their risk of falling into sexual exploitation to survive. But Chase says that even girls determined to stay in school aren\u2019t safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese girls will need money to purchase (pads),\u201d Chase said. \u201cIf she cannot afford it, then someone else will (pay) to use her so that she can buy that sanitary towel.\u201d<\/p>\n

The need for menstrual products is a vulnerability predators are all too willing to exploit. \u201cThe (sex buyers) prey on that need and offer money for sex, which, beyond the exploitation, often leads to STIs or HIV\u2026 it can also lead to early pregnancy,\u201d Chase explained.<\/p>\n

Early pregnancy can then start the cycle all over again in a new generation.<\/p>\n

Breaking the cycle<\/h2>\n

To break that cycle, Destiny Rescue\u2019s Kenya team started the pad project, a campaign that supplies vital pads and life-changing education to students in impoverished communities.<\/p>\n

Our local team travels from school to school, giving presentations that de-stigmatize menstruation and educate girls on proper care during their periods. After the class, the team donates vital hygiene items\u2014like soap and pads\u2014to the school to disseminate to those in need. \u201cWe have visited so many schools, and we plan to visit more,\u201d Chase said. \u201cWe can\u2019t give much, but we try to give to those highly vulnerable ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Chase (left) oversees the pads distribution <\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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The results reach much further than just meeting an immediate need. The classes, in particular, can transform a struggling child\u2019s perspective of herself. \u201cThey learn to accept themselves: how they are and how their body changes,\u201d Mercy said.<\/p>\n

That acceptance doesn\u2019t stop with the child. This education is helping to alter entrenched misconceptions for entire communities. \u201cWe have reduced stigmatization and shame in the community,\u201d Mercy explained. \u201cNow the community knows that menstrual hygiene is not something to be ashamed of.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, several children, emboldened by our encouraging team members, have actually come forward to report suffering sexual abuse or exploitation, leading to their rescue!<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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They can smile again.\u201d <\/span><\/i>\u2014 Chase, Rescue Agent, Kenya<\/span><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

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Most importantly, it\u2019s opening doors for girls who once faced imminent risk of exploitation. Unhindered by the need for hygienic products, girls can attend school and study. Freedom to pursue their dreams rather than just survive has opened new worlds of possibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a girl who wants to be a doctor, a girl who wants to be an engineer. Their dream is now (attainable) because what is really affecting them is cared for,\u201d Chase said passionately. \u201cThis girl will see her dream nearer.\u201d<\/p>\n

For his part, Michael is thrilled that his students are getting what they need. \u201cThe team is doing quite a wonderful job helping the vulnerable children,\u201d he said after they came to his school. \u201cWe have cases (of pads) here. We thank the team that came last week and provided the girls with more than enough pads. May God bless you.\u201d<\/p>\n

To truly rescue a child, we must first address the vulnerabilities that lead to exploitation. Those vulnerabilities are different everywhere: from ignorance about online grooming to financial desperation to societal pressures.<\/p>\n

Our team in Kenya pinpointed a vulnerability and is doing something about it. Now that you know about this dire need, you can help too. By donating menstrual products to shelters, food pantries and local nonprofits, you can help struggling women and girls in the community get the products they need to thrive every day of the month. And by talking openly about period poverty, you can help normalize the conversation around menstruation while de-stigmatizing victims\u2019 plight.<\/p>\n

Would you join them in helping provide a complete, holistic approach to rescuing children from sexual exploitation and human trafficking? Your donation will enable our teams worldwide to develop responses tailored to the needs of their specific communities.<\/p>\n

Fill out the form below to rescue a child today.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n