In 2023, Words Into Deeds received a $5,000 Rotary District 7170 grant providing the Abukloi Secondary School in Rumbek, South Sudan with sewing machines.
With matching funds from WID and Abukloi Foundation donors, both boys and girls trained in the tailoring of reusable feminine hygiene kits.
Absenteeism rates of an aggregate 1000 days per month of missed school by the girls in 2023 has dropped to ZERO in 2024. This will now in turn result in lowering girl dropout rates due to absenteeism and subsequent arrangements into impoverished marriages.
Sadly absenteeism still exists, but due to malaria, domestic chores around the agricultural seasons, food insecurity, and other hindrances such as challenges to pay school fees.
But NOT due to lack of hygiene supplies.
Pictured above and below are WID Youth Empowerment Students sharing their love and efforts by distributing pads they have made to female students of Abukloi.
They were sent with gratitude, by project Teacher Leader Lilian Likicho.
A special shoutout to Rotary Club of Ithaca, who helped to facilitate this Rotary District 7170 grant for these girls.
Ithaca Rotary's Gertrude Noden invites all CNY members to reach out to her if their club is interested in engaging and in learning more about this and other Gender Equity Rotary supported projects. There is still much work to be done.
Gertrude can be reached at gertrude.noden@gmail.com.