Two women are inviting locals to join in a global initiative to help girls in underprivileged circumstances gain access to feminine hygiene products.
The Days For Girls sewing event, hosted by Becca Musso and Rachel Cline, is calling on Fernie residents to help make washable hygiene kits for women in third world countries and low-income women in Canada.
“People can get together and keep inspired and people can come along and learn more about the project,” Musso said.
“A lot of menstrual related stuff is taboo in places over there (third world countries), which is really hard for us to understand.”
She added, “There’s lots of jobs for all kinds of people.”
The sewing event takes place on Monday August 11 at The Christ Church on 4th Ave.
And the church’s doors will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. so that people can drop in and out during the day, Musso said.
The initiative relies on donations and helping hands to make menstrual kits that have enough homemade sanitary napkins to last three years.
Musso said the Fernie project is 100 per cent reliant on donations, including fabrics, underwear for girls, washcloths, hotel size soaps, large size Ziploc bags and, of course, willing volunteers.
Each kit costs around $20 to make, and Musso said they are hoping to complete 100 kits by the end of the year.
“It sounds like a lot but I think a lot more than that is possible physically,” she said.
“It’s a really awesome project, it’s so simply and it really brings people together.”
Awareness is another major aspect of the project. Musso said they hope to get more youth involved in the sewing event so that they have the opportunity to open up a conversation about sexual health.
“I think it’s important for young people to be able to be open about that kind of stuff,” Musso said.
“A lot of girls in third world countries end up dropping out of school because they don’t have access to what they need.”
She went on to say, “I think that every one of us can sort of connect with that feeling of, ‘what would you do if you didn’t have access to those things?’”
In third world countries a lot of young women resort to using cornhusks and even garbage as a substitute for proper sanitary napkins, Musso said.
She added that some women make themselves available to men who have access to proper products, making them more susceptible to becoming a child bride.
“We’re talking about children,” Musso said.
“It’s not just a three year package for a girl, it’s really a sustainable solution.”
For more information on the project, visit their website at daysforgirls.org