Throughout the recent lockdown quite a few Rotary projects were able to continue, one of these being ‘Days For Girls’, co-ordinated by Terri Oprean.
‘Days For Girls’ is an international movement focused upon ways prepare female students to prevent them missing school due to their menstrual cycle. In an alarmingly large number of countries and regions, young women don’t have easy access to feminine hygiene products, and end up missing out on school during their monthly period. Often this problem is compounded by social prejudice, taboos, and ignorance of the menstrual cycle.
‘Days For Girls’ provides not only female students with re-usable feminine hygiene products, but also with soap and education materials for the whole community. Not only do the young women have a better opportunity at completing their education, the whole community learns more about general personal hygiene, women’s hygiene and health, self defence, and sexual education. Girls are given empowering education and skills, which even includes how to take charge of their sexual choices.
Terri Oprean, who has a long history of working in girls’ schools, and has taught health and human development to year 12s, first came across ‘Days For Girls’ when she attended a ‘Pasta Against Poverty’ lunch, where Carolyn Walker, the Victorian ‘Days For Girls’ co-ordinator was guest speaker. Inspired by what she learnt, Terri put together a group of like-minded local volunteers, with the support of Daylesford Rotary, registered as a chapter. This means that the organisations high standards and guidelines are met, and that when the completed kits are sent to their destination, a representative will be there to distribute the kits, and support the community receiving them with training.
Each kit consists of 2 double lined shields, 8 liners, 2 pairs of underpants, 1 waterproof transport bag with PUL lining, 1 face washer, 1 bar of soap, and 1 carry bag. Outside of the transport bag lining, (and soap), everything is made from washable cloth, and the kits last for 3-5 years. The cloth used must comply to guidelines that include cloth type, and type of patterns on the cloth. The kits are attractive, easy to keep clean, and easy for the girls to use. Even the smallest of details, such as the shields being able to clip securely onto the underpants has been incorporated.
The Daylesford ‘Days For Girls’ chapter had been meeting together on the second Sunday of every month at Verey’s Chapel since June 2019, with members working from home since the current lockdown. There are roughly 20 sewers, with about 12 who meet regularly. There is always room for more, and even non-sewers can contribute with the many other tasks that need to be done to make the attractive kits.
50 complete kits were produced by the group in 6 months, which were sent to Vanautu, and there is an increasing demand for more. So far, the lives of 1.5 million women in 125 countries and territories across 6 continents have been changed through these simple kits, and there are many still in need. Terri would like to see kits sent to indigenous communities within Australia, and the sustainable nature of the kits makes them something that women from any background could benefit from.
If you would like to enable young women to complete their education uninterrupted, take control of their lives, and enrich not only their lives, but the lives of their entire communities, please contact Terri Oprean at opreanterri70@gmail.com.
