‘Her Needs Tanzania’ raises over 200 million/- for supplying free sanitary pads to 40,000 schoolgirls

Over 200 million/- has been raised through special fundraiser targeting to provide free sanitary pads for schoolgirls in the Northern Zone.

Arjun Kaur Mittal, a sixteen-year-old student of the North London Collegiate School of Dubai who has hatched the special humanitarian mission through ‘Her Needs Tanzania,’ said the philanthropic organization intends to be issuing free menstrual health towels to over 40,000 students in Tanzania, annually.

“My target is to raise 700 million/- for the cause, being a special task to ensure that female students in Arusha and Northern Tanzania stay healthy and confident during their periodical menstrual circles!”

Arjun Kaur Mittal

“It costs six dollars to support one girl with sanitary pads in a year, which is a more worthy cause, costing the same price as a cup of Starbucks coffee,” pointed out Ms Mittal, adding the mission to provide sanitary pads to girls will be sustainable in all coming years.

To start with, Kaur has distributed sanitary pads to 400 girls who happen to be students at the Mkonoo Secondary School located in the remote Terrat Ward of Arusha.

The occasion went hand in hand with the provision of awareness training on the importance of using sanitary pads for girls, in ensuring health among young people at learning institutions.

“Sanitary pads are extremely important in that they give female students the confidence of attending class at all times regardless of their menstrual conditions,” said the Arusha Member of Parliament, Mrisho Gambo during the fundraiser held at TGT grounds in Arumeru.

On his part the Managing Director Hanspaul Group, Satbir Singh Hanspaul, representing the business community in Arusha said free sanitary pads for girls’ students are as important as books; therefore the government should consider exempting the health items from taxes to make the towels more affordable and accessible to all.

A number of teachers in Arusha admit that many students have been missing classes during their monthly menstrual circles due to lack of proper hygiene materials, therefore once the sanitary tissues become readily available, the problem will be solved.

“We are especially advising that the girls be provided with recyclable pads that can be washed and reused again to save costs,” said Lydia Urio, a teacher from Arumeru, adding that many young girls also become overly self-conscious during their menstrual periods.

The girl called Arjun

As a young girl of 16, and someone who is a self-confessed sports fanatic, Arjun Mittal felt the need to do something for other young girls to encourage them to be the best they could be and contribute hugely to their wellbeing.

The health and wellbeing of young girls, the challenges they face during menstruation and the lack of access to sanitary pads, was something that bothered her often.

“I find that often when we think of giving back to society, we think of helping out with water, food and clothes, things that indeed no human being should be without.”

“However, there are other things that are not openly spoken about – such as the sanitary pad. In many cultures menstruation is not spoken of in the open.  There is still stigma and shame associated with it.”

Yet menstruation is a reality and something that is part and parcel of human life,” she says. Arjun Mittal was inspired by the movie Padman.

“I realised what a struggle it was for hundreds and thousands of women who went through hell every month just because they did not have the means to get themselves sanitary pads. It is something I take for granted; my friends and the women in my family take for granted. But not everyone is as fortunate.”

Her dream was to end other girls’ nightmare

Arjun Mittal’s country was born and grew up in Arusha and wanted to make a difference to the lives of young girls and women.

“I know that if the issues of health and hygiene are taken care of and addressed, the lifestyle of so many girls and women will be positively impacted. They will be healthier, and be able to do so much more with their lives.”

“I also know for a fact that many girls drop out of school when they hit puberty. Lack of sanitary facilities, sanitary pads and the associated stigma and taboos associated with menstruation has been major obstacles in the growth opportunities for girls.”

“Having the means to survive ‘those days’ without embarrassment and discomfort can greatly improve their lives, enabling them to attend classes no matter what time of the month, find jobs and reach their full potential.”

About the project

Arjun Mittal along with the three Non-Government Organisations the Lions Club, Alma Foundation is raising funds to sponsor girls in the local public government secondary schools in Arusha with sanitary pads for an entire year.

Volunteers will distribute the sanitary pads supplied by Softcare.

Softcare will be supplying the eco-friendly, biodegradable and cotton pads to the girls. These will be accompanied by an awareness drive on why and how to use the sanitary pads.  “We will educate the girls about the human body and the importance of sanitary pads in maintaining good health,” says Arjun Mittal.

Arjun Mittal, who is in grade 11 at North London Collegiate School Dubai, is not new to participating in humanitarian projects.  She says when she was eight years old she put up a lemonade stand in Arusha in order to raise funds for an orphanage as a Grade 5 student.

And again, along with two of her friends, she raised 325,000 Tanzanian shillings for a wilderness conservation project in Arusha.

As someone who enjoys sport she coached at a football camp in Arusha for three weeks, teaching 60 kids for 3-4 hours every day teaching the 10–14-year-olds basic game play, defence, attack and strategy of the game.

In the Maasai Land

In 2023, as a precursor to the current project she is undertaking, Arjun visited a Maasai village called Losinoni in Oldonyosambu in addition to the Losinon primary and secondary school and distributed pads.

“I created a business model to see how a pad-dispensing machine could be integrated into the village to help them create a business as well.”

The onus of organising such a big event has been entirely on Arjun. But, she says she has had tremendous help and support from her family, especially her father Atul Mittal.

The idea for identifying the issue of menstrual health and educating girls about menstruation and how they can handle it and not look at it as a hurdle in their potential for a better life, came from her mother Kamalpreet Mittal.

Like mother like daughter

“My mom was a huge inspiration. She is the one who encouraged me to take action. She said if I wanted to do something to help girls my age, and open up avenues of opportunities for them, I should take up the matter of their menstrual health and wellbeing.”

Softcare Pads is the partner brand. They have a factory in Dar es Salam, which will also allow local Tanzanian business to benefit.

“We have divided Arusha into separate zones including, Sombetini, Kisongo, Sinon and Njiro.”

Volunteers are assigned to 3-5 schools each. Once a month the shipment of pads will arrive in Arusha after which they will be distributed. “Donors will have the information on how many girls are benefiting from the project and everything will be transparent, and every bit of money received from the donors will be accounted for.

Footnote

Some of the supporting entities in the ‘Her Needs Tanzania,’ initiative, include, Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, Lions International, Alama Africa, Hanspaul Group, Four Points by Sheraton, Leopard Tours, Ranger Safaris, Asilia, Elewana, Wilderness Collection, Rabobank, Kilidove, Mount Meru Group, The Tanzanite Experience, Tanganyika Wilderness Camps, Shanga,Amber and Takims Holidays.