$300 Sanitary Pad Distribution Plan for Marginalized Communities

Ndeye Soulrymane

My name is Ndeye, I am from Senegal. I believe that affordable sanitary pads are absolutely essential for the dignity, health, education, and equality of girls and women. When sanitary pads are affordable, girls can manage their monthly cycles safely, with confidence, without fear of stain or odor or discomfort. They don’t have to miss school, retreat from social life, or suffer silently. Affordable pads help prevent infections that come from using unsanitary alternatives cloths that are reused without proper cleaning, rags, or other materials not designed for menstrual flow. They also allow girls to plan, to participate, to feel clean and empowered.

In my region, many girls indeed face serious obstacles because sanitary products are too expensive or simply unavailable. I have heard of girls missing school for several days each month because they do not have pads; some feel too ashamed or afraid of leakage or teasing by other students. In rural areas and some urban peripheries, families may prioritize buying food or other essentials over menstrual supplies. Sometimes girls use old cloths, sometimes paper or other improvised materials. These makeshift materials may not be clean, may be damp, reused without proper drying, leading to discomfort and, in some cases, infections. There is stigma and lack of information about how to clean reusable materials, or dispose of used pads properly, and because of this, some girls suffer from irritation, rash, even more serious infections if hygiene is poor.

If I were chosen to distribute sanitary pads, I would plan carefully to maximize impact. First, I would partner with local schools, women’s associations, health clinics, and community leaders so that distribution reaches those most in need, especially in rural villages or peri-urban districts where poverty is higher. I would bring, say, 2,00 disposable sanitary pads plus some reusable cloth pads for sustainability, targeting perhaps 200 girls (assuming 10 pads per girl, reusable ones that last longer). I might also bring educational materials: flyers or posters in Wolof and French, perhaps workshops on how to use pads, how to wash reusable pads safely, how to dispose of used pads. Supplies I would need: the pads themselves; reusable cloth pads; packaging; a tent or space for the distribution event; hygiene soaps; clean water or water containers; trash bags or bins for disposal; educational flyers; pens/markers; possibly transportation costs (truck or van to bring materials); maybe help for volunteers.

As for budget, I would estimate roughly $300 total, divided like this:

• $150 – disposable pads

• $60 – reusable cloth pads

• $40 – educational materials & flyers

• $30 – transportation

• $20 – hygiene supplies (soap, water)

In terms of speaking and leadership: yes, I am comfortable speaking in public. I might be nervous at first, but I enjoy organizing people, planning things, and being someone who others can rely on. If I have the chance to lead such a project, explain menstrual hygiene in front of a group, answer questions, I would do so with pride, because it matters to me that girls around me have the same rights and chances as others.