A story inspired by too many Ugandan girls.
Amina was 13 when she got her first period. It happened on a Tuesday morning, in the middle of a science lesson. She didn’t know what was happening. No one told her. All she felt was the warm stain creeping through her uniform and the silent stares from classmates who noticed.
She tied her sweater around her waist and ran home. She never returned to school. At home, her grandmother gave her an old cloth and told her “Now you’re a woman, be careful with boys.” That was all. No pads, no comfort, no understanding, just a warning and a rag.
For the next few months, Amina stayed home for several days each time her period came. The cloth wasn’t enough, she leaked and itched. She felt dirty, ashamed and alone. Her performance dropped, her confidence disappeared. One day, she heard her uncle whisper “If she’s not going to school, why not find her a husband?” That was the beginning of the end of her education.
Amina’s story is not unique, its painfully common. Across Uganda, thousands of girls just like Amina are forced to leave school because they can’t manage their periods with dignity. Many don’t have access to sanitary towels, others face stigma, teasing, or poor sanitation at school. For a girl already vulnerable whether orphaned, in poverty, or at risk her period becomes more than a natural occurrence, it becomes a barrier.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
At 1000 Hugs Foundation, we believe no girl should ever have to choose between her dignity and her education. We meet girls like Amina every day, we listen, we hug and we act.
We provide reusable and disposable pads to schools and communities, we talk openly about menstrual health to girls, boys, teachers and parents. We build safe spaces where girls can learn about their bodies without fear, and we remind every girl that she is not alone because sometimes, all a girl needs is a hug and a pad.
When we give a girl the tools to manage her period, we’re not just giving her hygiene, we’re giving her hope and a reason to stay in school. When a girl stays in school, a nation grows. Educating a girl transforms not only her life but the life of her family, community, and the future children. It breaks the cycle of poverty and opens the door to opportunity. Menstruation should never be a reason to close that door. Let’s rewrite the story together, no more dreams should end at puberty, hug a girl’s future, help her rise.
#EveryGirlMatters #FightPeriodPoverty
Join us at 1000 Hugs Foundation because a hug can change everything.
