Rotary Club supports girls’ education through menstrual health initiative
DAR ES SALAAM: IN a significant effort to promote girls’ education, menstrual health and dignity, the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oysterbay has donated 1,728 packs of sanitary pads to female students at Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre in Dar es Salaam.
The donation, valued at approximately 2m/- and comprising 72 cartons of sanitary pads, is expected to meet the Centre’s annual requirements, ensuring that menstruation does not become a barrier to school attendance, learning and active participation in vocational education.
The initiative supports the implementation of Tanzania’s National Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) Guidelines, which provide a coordinated multi-sectoral framework for promoting menstrual health, safeguarding girls’ dignity and advancing gender equality.
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The sanitary pads were donated through the Rotary Club of Dar es Salaam Oysterbay’s community service programme and officially handed over following the Club’s weekly fellowship meeting, attended by Rotary members and other stakeholders.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Club’s Service Director for the 2025–2026 Rotary year, Ms Hilu Bura, said menstrual health is fundamental to girls’ wellbeing, confidence and academic success.
“Every girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her education with confidence and dignity. By supporting menstrual health, we are helping young women remain in school, participate fully in their studies and build brighter futures,” she said.
Ms Bura noted that the initiative forms part of the Club’s broader commitment to addressing barriers that limit girls’ access to education.
“Many girls across the country continue to face challenges in accessing menstrual hygiene products, leading to missed classes and reduced educational opportunities. Through this initiative, we hope to contribute to lasting solutions that ensure no girl is left behind because of her monthly cycle,” she added.
Receiving the donation, the Principal of Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre, Father Felix, thanked the Rotary Club for its continued support, describing partnerships between educational institutions and community organisations as essential in creating an enabling environment for young people to succeed.
He said the donation would significantly reduce the Centre’s annual expenditure on menstrual hygiene products while helping to ensure regular attendance and active participation among female students.
