The Past Present Future Africans, PPFA Foundation, has launched a national Menstrual Health Education and Hygiene Initiative in partnership with Days for Girls International, DfG. The program aims to provide reusable menstrual hygiene kits and health training to 1,242 adolescent girls from seven secondary schools in three administrative regions of Cameroon. This initiative seeks to address period poverty, a major cause of school absenteeism among young girls.
According to Prof. Dr. Solomon Nfor, President and CEO of the PPFA Foundation, period poverty forces many young girls to miss classes and drop out of school. The program will run from September 30 to late October 2026 and targets students from Government High School, GHS Tabenken, Government Bilingual High School, GBHS Nkambe, Lycée Grand Souza, NBCC Souza, Horizon Bilingual Educational Complex, HOBEC, Queensway International College, and Lycée d’Ahala.
Each participating student will receive a reusable DfG Menstrual Kit designed to last up to 10 years, providing a sustainable alternative to costly disposable options. The kits will be distributed during a month-long outreach program that includes structured educational workshops led by local PPFA Ambassadors. These workshops will focus on menstrual biology, hygiene practices, self-confidence, and dispelling cultural taboos associated with menstruation.
The selection of the seven institutions was based on PPFA’s established relationships with local administrators, a desire for geographic diversity, and school readiness to identify students entering adolescence. The target institutions cover a blend of major urban centers and semi-urban or rural communities, ensuring a wide reach across Cameroon.
Prof. Nfor emphasized that good health remains an indispensable prerequisite for academic success. By addressing the structural and social barriers that prevent girls from attending school during menstruation, the PPFA Foundation aims to ensure that a natural biological process never stands in the way of a girl's right to education.
The campaign marks the foundation's first large-scale, multi-regional rollout executed alongside Days for Girls International. The program has the potential to significantly impact the lives of adolescent girls in Cameroon, enabling them to continue their education without interruption.
The initiative has been welcomed by stakeholders, who recognize the importance of addressing period poverty and promoting menstrual health education. With the support of partners like Days for Girls International, the PPFA Foundation is poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of young girls in Cameroon.
Key points
- The PPFA Foundation and Days for Girls International aim to distribute reusable menstrual hygiene kits to 1,242 adolescent girls in seven Cameroonian schools.
- The program seeks to address period poverty, a major cause of school absenteeism among young girls in Cameroon.
- The initiative includes structured educational workshops led by local PPFA Ambassadors, focusing on menstrual biology, hygiene practices, and self-confidence.
