Your donation could help girls like Riya manage their periods with dignity
Menstruation is a normal part of life, but stigma, shame and period poverty are holding girls back.
In parts of western Nepal, girls are banished from their homes during their periods because they are believed to bring bad luck. This practice is called chhaupadi and although it is illegal, it is still carried out in many communities.
During menstruation, girls are forced to live alone in isolated huts or animal sheds. Some girls don’t have access to safe sanitary products and have to use rags to soak up the blood. This can cause serious and painful infections.
ActionAid’s women-led programmes in Nepal aim to tackle period taboos and create long-term change.
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We fund local women’s groups which raise awareness about the negative impacts of chhaupadi and its illegal status.
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Our Girls’ Clubs educate girls about their reproductive and menstrual health, as well as giving them the skills and knowledge to make their own clean, reusable sanitary towels.
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We provide hygiene kits containing sanitary towels, soap and clean underwear, so that women and girls can manage their periods safely.
With your support, local women can challenge stigma around menstruation and give girls the knowledge and resources they need to manage their periods with dignity.
What ActionAid does
Whether it’s the result of being displaced by war, recovering from the aftermath of an earthquake, or simply being born into a deprived community, women and girls are the most affected by poverty.
ActionAid puts women and girls at the centre of our work across 45 countries. We make sure girls go to and stay in school, we work with communities to end gender-based violence, and we train women in the skills they need to earn a living.
Almost all of the people and partners who run our programmes are from the developing world. This means our staff are on the ground and experiencing poverty first hand. We see day-to-day how poverty affects people’s lives, and are uniquely placed to give a voice to the women and children who suffer the most.
We also help women and communities prepare for and recover from disasters, a time when they can be at their most vulnerable. We demand action to change the factors that keep poor people poor at local, national and international level. We don’t walk away until we’ve achieved lasting change.
How we use the money you give us
For every £1 we spend:
72p is spent on programme activity, including humanitarian and development work
12p is spent on fundraising
9p is spent on support costs (running the organisation)
7p is spent on campaigning for change
These figures are taken from our expenditure in 2016.
We’re committed to keeping our supporters happy and being open and honest about how we fundraise. To find out more you can read our supporter promise.
Other ways to support our work
Donating by post
If you’d prefer to donate by post, make out a cheque payable to ActionAid UK,
and send it to:
ActionAid UK Supporter Care Team,
Chataway House, Leach Road
Chard, Somerset
TA20 1FR
Contact us
We’re here to help. You can contact us by phone or email.
