This fall E4Change distributed 1500 high quality reusable Menstrual Hygiene Management kits to girls in Ethiopia’s Somali Region. Manufactured in Canada and designed to last up to three years, E4C distributes these kits along with practical training on their use, ensuring a sustainable solution. In partnership with USAID’s Climate Resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (CR-WASH) Activity, they are tackling menstrual health taboos, empowering schoolgirls, and fostering a brighter, more equitable future for women and girls in Jigjiga, Gode, and Shinille woredas.

E4Change complements the distribution of these kits with robust Social Behaviour Change Communication campaigns. Through culturally sensitive approaches like community dialogues and participatory learning, it engages community leaders, families, and male partners to harmonize discussions about menstrual health and stop harmful traditional practices, such as early marriage and female genital mutilation. By fostering open conversations and empowering local voices, E4Change is not only raising awareness but also reshaping perspectives to create lasting cultural shifts.

These kits, and the learning that comes along with them, support girls in managing a natural process so that they can continue in school.

The pictures below show Kheira Malim Mohamed, community outreach worker for E4Change, demonstrating the practical use of sanitary kits to schoolgirls at Wilwal Primary School.