iCARRe International is a youth-led non-profit organization registered under the Non-Government Organization Act, 2002 with a Reg No I-NGO/R/4943. iCARRe International started as AFRiCARRe Foundation in 2020 until this year that it transformed and changed to iCARRe International with a base in Bagamoyo Tanzania.
iCARRe International is compassionately committed to helping children and youths of all backgrounds to learn, grow and succeed with Programmes in Sports, Arts and Culture, Education Support, Mental Health services, Mentorship and ICT.
The Foundation relates all its programmes to education, growth and social-economic change of the East African Children and Youth Community, therefore, as it lines up to education support, the Foundation notices and concedes that Menstrual Poverty can be detrimental to a girl’s school attendance, test scores, and completion of secondary education – potentially clipping her wings for life. iCARRe Foundation in response to that factor, it designs and partners with Female and Girl Child Empowering Initiatives to combat the issue.
To create vibrant and inclusive community through the power of sports cultural arts.
To provide a platform that empowers individuals to discover, nurture, and showcase their talents in sports and cultural arts.
Dare for the Future initiative is a Female youth-led organization that promotes education for people in crisis-impacted areas promoting education in areas of South Sudan and refugee settlements in Uganda in response to the over 70% of refugees and internally displaced people who are out of school.
The organization channels key emphasis on girls and persons with a disability because they are likely to miss out on education because of various limitations around them. Our education program focus on Policy and system Advocacy, the Inclusive Menstrual Hygiene program, and the promotion of Girl-child Education and Community Sensitization.
A quality, safe and complete education for everyone in crisis-impacted areas regardless of sex, age, and disability.
Promote and advocate for access to quality, safe and complete education for people in crisis-impacted areas giving key attention to the girl child, persons with disability, and illiterate adults.
As the rest of the world has moved towards healthy menstrual management, the situation still remains a big challenge in refugee camps of Uganda which has remained one of the biggest refugee destinations globally.
Menstruation is a natural biological process, yet the state of menstrual health, hygiene, and poverty in Ugandan refugee camps presents a significant barrier to education for girls and women. Limited access to menstrual products, inadequate sanitation facilities, and prevailing social stigmas have dire consequences on their physical and psychological well-being, compromising their ability to attend school regularly and hindering their educational opportunities. About 75% of women and girls in refugee camps have no access to sustainable menstrual hygiene products. This problem necessitates immediate action to address the multifaceted challenges faced by menstruating individuals in these camps.
Poor menstrual hygiene management is a profound problem in many refugee settlements including Pagirinya refugee camp. Refugee schoolgirls have little or no access to menstrual hygiene products and right menstrual hygiene management information, which can result into health implications like urinary tract infections, mental health strains due to the stigma around menstruation and most importantly it is a big hindrance to girl’s education due to increased absenteeism in school during periods.
Schools and management authorities’ strategies for menstrual hygiene remains poor fuelled by limited sanitary menstrual products, myths and lack of gendered facilities. These challenges call for urgent need to hold a menstrual hygiene management project in schools in Pagirinya refugee camp through a peer-to-peer education, school sensitizations and increasing access to safe sanitary products by using available affordable healthy materials to improve menstrual hygiene management among school girls in Pagirinya Refugee camp
Limited Access to Menstrual Products in Ugandan refugee camps and access to menstrual products is a pressing concern. According to Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR 2022), approximately 75% of women and girls in humanitarian settings globally lack access to sanitary pads, forcing them to resort to unhygienic alternatives such as rags, leaves, or even pieces of foam
A study conducted by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) found that girls in refugee camps often experience shame, discrimination, and exclusion during their periods. These societal attitudes contribute to a lack of open discussions, prevent access to essential information, and hinder the development of supportive environments that promote menstrual health and hygiene.
Consequently, the lack of adequate menstrual health management directly impacts the education of girls in refugee camps. UNESCO estimates that one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses’ school during their menstrual cycles. The fear of leakage, lack of appropriate sanitation facilities, and cultural barriers contribute to frequent absences, leading to educational gaps and decreased academic performance. Over time, this hinders their prospects for future opportunities and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
Therefore, iCARRe International and Dare for the Future Initiative seek the opportunity for urgent Actions addressing the state of menstrual health, hygiene, and poverty in Pagirinya refugee camps to address limited access to menstrual products by making of disposable pads; inadequate sanitation facilities through system advocacy; and prevailing social stigmas that hinder ability to attend and complete school through inclusive sensitization.
Improved menstrual hygiene management among school girls of Pagirinya Refugee camp by end of 2023
1. To create awareness on menstrual hygiene management among school girls and communities of Pagirinya refugee camp by 2023
Activities
2. To increase access to safe sanitary products and menstrual hygiene kits by 2023
Activities
Dare For The Future Initiative is committed to advocating for inclusive, safe, and quality education for all, upholding human rights, and working within juridical laws to create lasting change.
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