In partnership with our local Dominican partner, Carlos Pimentel, we at Pro Infancia support the Days for Girls (DfG) Program. In 2018 Days for Girls Enterprise was licensed to Pro Infancia in the Dominican Republic. The focus of Pro Infancia is on menstrual health education and distribution of menstrual kits containing supplies that allow girls to manage their menses thereby enabling them to attend school during this time.
Since almost 100% of vulnerable girls (aged 10-18) living in poverty in the rural batey villages have no access to feminine hygiene supplies, it soon became clear that these precious girls are much in need of DfG education and kits. These girls are at risk of sexual abuse, in danger of child trafficking, exposed to “teen pregnancy epidemic” and isolated due to cultural taboos related to menstruation.
In the rural areas of the Dominican Republic people are living in poor circumstances. There are communities where the population consists of Haitians and Dominicans who work in sugar cane fields and agriculture. Living conditions are poor, and often people live in extreme poverty earning less than $1.50 a day; these communities lack basic necessities such as health care and quality education. It is in those communities where empowering girls is of great importance.
The Pro Infancia Days for Girls' goal is to provide menstrual health education and Smart Starter kits to girls in these communities through schools and female groups.
A single Days for Girls kit helps a girl stay in school for 3 years. The DfGs kit and training contribute to:
Education:
- Providing menstrual health education
- Increasing social awareness on cultural taboos related to menstruation
Social Mobilization:
- Empowering the girls to eradicate child trafficking
- Stopping "Teen pregnancy pandemic"
- Encouraging the girls to fight off sexual abuse and exploitation
Creation and promotion of job opportunities:
- Providing locally manufactured, reusable menstrual feminine hygiene products
- Facilitating training opportunities for work and recreation.
