Girls and students who menstruate are losing access to education.

• 1 in 4 teens in the US has missed class because they lacked access to menstrual products
• 850,000 Afghan girls have been prevented from going to school since the Taliban took over (NPR)

We at The Pad Project know that all students have a right to a good education, which is why we created our Back to School campaign. Our goal is to raise $20,000 to support both our Pads for Schools partners and Shuhada Organization.

[Pads for Schools] allows students facing period poverty to still access the products they need, leading to more self confidence, personal comfort, and school performance. I hope this project can continue for many more years.

• East Troy High School student

If we follow the Taliban, we'd just stay home. No. We have to do something.

• Nazanin, leader of a secret school for girls in Kabul (NPR)

About Pads for Schools:

With our Pads for Schools initiative, we partner with U.S.-based schools and school districts to help them provide free menstrual products to their students. We provide each district with a grant to purchase and distribute these menstrual products to students.

About Shuhada Organization:

Shuhada is a nonprofit based in Afghanistan that focuses on women’s rights and education. Given the current circumstances, Shuhada is more focused than ever on making sure girls stay in school and continue to receive an education. We connected with Shuhada through Girls Learn International and our own menstrual equity work in Afghanistan.

How Your Donation Helps

• $25 provides 100 pads to US students
• $50 provides 200 pads to US students
• $100 supports 25 US students for a school year
• $290 supports a full year of university for 1 woman in Afghanistan
• $500 supports an entire 5th grade class in the US
• $1,200 funds 1 woman in Afghanistan earning a bachelor’s degree