Susanna Matters, 29, Goods for Girls, providing sanitary products to girls in Kenya.

2013 JUDGES’ CHOICE WINNER:

When school teacher Susanna first visited Muhaka in Kenya to teach in village schools, she wondered why so many of her female students were missing classes. “They had no sanitary pads to use when they had their period,” says Susanna. In Kenya, women and girls in rural areas use rags, old mattresses, grass and even cow dung. Rates of infection are high.

Understanding the link between education and breaking the poverty cycle, Susanna started Goods for Girls, training girls to make safe, environmentally-friendly pads. The charity not only teaches women to make re-washable sanitary pads, it also undertakes hygiene training and distributes the sanitary pads. Since the project started school attendance has soared, with a 44 per cent increase.

“We finished in Muhaka in 2015,” says Susanna. “We left our equipment there so young women may continue to sew sanitary pads and other goods to sell. These women become breadwinners and role models.” Goods for Girls is currently building a female toilet at the Ethi Primary School, another important factor in girls’ education.

Above: Susanna (on left) on a hike with some of her students. Her project saw school attendance soar.

Students making reusable sanitary pads, called “chapatis”.