Hello! My name is Sophie Horn. My Bat Mitzvah is coming up soon and I am so excited to announce that I will be donating to the Organization Femme International. They bring education and supplies to help girls in East Africa during their menstrual stage. During this time, in East Africa, young girls are shamed, put down, and not allowed to go to school when they are menstruating. I just want to take moment to acknowledge that-girls cannot go to school when their bodies are doing what they are supposed to do. Not cool. First, if they get a blood stain on their clothing, they are asked to leave school and not come back until their cycle is over. This leads to girls missing 20% of school days throughout the year and getting an education is already difficult for them. Second, during this time they will do anything to get the supplies they need to have healthy periods, including risky behaviors. Women and girls are exploited in this part of the world and it has to stop.

Now let's talk about how we can all help. By donating to Femme International, we can raise money to buy "Femme Kits" or other needed supplies for education and distribution to this population. "Femme Kits" consist of a reusable pad or menstruation cup, soap in a container, a bowl to boil and clean products, a small towel, and a workbook to use during the education component of their program. Each kit costs $35.

I'd also like to bring awareness to the fact that is is happening locally for many homeless women on the streets of Seattle, they do not have the supplies they need to have healthy periods.

Another way to support me and my project, if you are also interested, would be to donate supplies directly to me so I can distribute them to a local organization called The Healing Hands Project . They need pads and tampons and any menstrual products that could be helpful to the local homeless woman of Seattle. We will put a box on our front porch and label it “The Product Project." For those of you who are local if you want to drop anything off you are more than welcome to. Please text my me or my mom to arrange drop off. I want to raise as much money and products as possible. It really is up to us to help these girls and women. So please donate and help me and my family to help these strong women! Thank you!