Building Confidence through Health Education

Femme International recently launched an Indiegogo Campaign to help fund our fall programming, and if you have yet to see our campaign video, we urge you to take a few minutes to watch it right now!

Our Feminine Health Management Program uses interactive education to teach girls how their bodies work, and how to stay safe and healthy, every day of the month. Workshops cover topics such as female anatomy, reproductive health, puberty, the menstrual cycle and healthy menstrual management. Key to the success of the program is creating a safe space, where girls feel comfortable talking, and asking questions about their bodies – something they otherwise do not have the opportunity to do. By creating this space and facilitating these conversations, Femme is slowly changing the way girls think about their bodies.

The second component of our program is the distribution of Femme Kits – designed to contain everything a girl needs to manage her period each month. The central component to these Kits are reusable menstrual products – menstrual cups for secondary school girls, and reusable pads for primary school girls. 

By providing reusable menstrual management resources, Femme is removing the financial burden of menstruation, and giving girls a new sense of freedom, independence and confidence. 

At Femme International, we believe that menstruation should not be a source of shame but rather a source of pride. Not only are we working towards providing young women with the means to effectively manage their bodies each month, we are working to build confidence and a global appreciation for a bodily function that is entirely natural and normal. 

The taboos surrounding menstruation and the female body have become a destructive source of oppression for the female gender – a stigma that is severely affecting these women’s quality of life. 

Femme International is working to change these destructive practices and build confidence, one girl at a time.

This fall, Femme International is planning on implementing the Feminine Health Management Program with 500 schoolgirls in the Mathare slum of Nairobi, Kenya. 

500 more young women will be given the essential education and resources they need to stay safe, healthy and in school – every day of the month. 

500 more young women will have confidence to play games and sports – every day of the month.

500 more young women will understand that they do not need to feel shame or embarrassment towards their bodies.

500 more young women will have the chance to take advantage of every academic and professional opportunity to come their way.

500 more young women will no longer have to resort to unsafe and risky behavior in an attempt to manage their periods. 

500 more young women will be empowered. 

We need $35,000 to make this happen! This will cover the costs of procuring Femme Kit supplies and educational materials, the training of local women to facilitate workshops in Mathare, and the logistical expenses to make it happen.

This is where we need your support. Together, we can help the next generation of Kenyan women become strong, confident and active members of their communities. 

Let’s keep young women healthy and in school, every day of the month. Period.