RCMI has three main initiatives: keeping girls in school, informed about their sexual health, and economically independent. RCMI has developed initiatives to assist girls in successfully completing their education. These programs include: Manufacturing and supplying reusable sanitary pads to girls who are menstruating; constructing private ‘girls only’ latrines; providing accurate health information and mentorship through a female health worker.
In Uganda, drop-out rates are high for rural girls. Up to 80% of girls entering primary school will never complete their primary education. Uganda has the highest teen pregnancy rate in sub-Saharan Africa with over 30% of Ugandan girls having their first baby by the time they are 18. HIV infection rates are 9 times higher in girls than boys the same age and Uganda has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world, 25% of which are from unsafe abortions.
Solution
We will keep girls in school which in turn will affect the entire community through training students to act as peer leaders about reproductive health, distribution of sanitary pads to girls in school and construction of girls only private latrines at school. Early data show that the programs have had a remarkable impact.