Imagine fleeing war.
Imagine losing your home, your country, your safety  and then still being unable to go to school because of something as natural as menstruation.

This is the reality for thousands of girls living in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. In a place shaped by conflict, displacement, and survival, a period can become yet another barrier,  one that steals education, dignity, and opportunity.

In October 2025, we traveled to Kakuma with a mission rooted in one belief:
No girl should ever miss school because of her period.

What happened on this trip became one of the most powerful chapters in She for She’s journey.

Why Kakuma?

Kakuma is home to over 200,000 refugees, many of whom have been displaced for decades. For girls living here, managing menstruation safely is incredibly difficult. Many stay home several days every month because they simply do not have access to pads.

A girl who misses a week of school each month falls behind three months every year.

For a refugee girl, already fighting for her future, that loss is devastating.

2,000 girls. 2,000 reusable pad kits. 2,000 futures protected.

Thanks to generous support from our donors, we were able to donate 2,000 She for She reusable pad kits to girls across schools in Kakuma.

Every kit was handmade by women in Uganda.
Every kit represented dignity, hygiene, and the ability to stay in school.

We didn’t just hand out pads.
We sat with the girls.
We talked openly about their bodies.
We shared laughs, questions, stories.
We educated, listened, and connected.

One girl told us quietly:

“Now I won’t have to miss school anymore.”

Those words alone made every kilometer, every hour, every challenge worth it.

How the donation was funded

This mission was made possible by the incredible support of:

• Lions Club

• Women Rights Initiative

• Novo Nordisk Honorarfond

• Private donors

• Supporters across Denmark and beyond who stood with us

Because all She for She pads are made in Uganda, this project didn’t just help girls in Kakuma 
it also created jobs and stability for women employed at our workshop.

Two communities were strengthened at once.
That’s the power of sustainable support.

Working with EU ECHO

Our trip was organized in close partnership with EU ECHO, the humanitarian arm of the European Union. Their team guided us through the camp, ensured safety, and connected us with schools that had the greatest need.

Together with local teachers, school leaders, and community coordinators, we made sure that the distribution was respectful, empowering, and impactful.

This collaboration showed what is possible when organizations unite for a shared purpose.

Moments we will always carry with us

Some moments are impossible to forget:

• Girls who asked thoughtful, brave questions about their bodies — questions no one had ever answered for them.

• A teacher who told us that girls missing school because of their period was “one of their biggest challenges.”

• Faces lighting up with joy and relief when girls held their pad kits.

• The feeling of standing in a classroom full of bright, hopeful refugee girls who deserve every chance to thrive.

Every smile, every story, every conversation is now a part of She for She’s heartbeat.

This is just the beginning

Our October 2025 mission to Kakuma reminded us how deep the need is and how powerful the solution can be.

We are committed to returning.
To donating more pads.
To expanding our education programs.
To making sure menstruation never becomes a reason a girl misses school.

Thank you for making this possible

To everyone who donated, shared, believed, and supported,  thank you.

Because of you:

2,000 girls in Kakuma no longer fear missing school because of their period.
2,000 girls feel safe, prepared, and protected.
2,000 dreams are still alive.

A pad is never just a pad.
It is dignity.
It is education.
It is a future.