Since its founding in 2021, PadHer, an organization that seeks to eradicate period poverty in Africa, has impacted over 2,000 young African schoolgirls.
It was recently named one of the “most impactful and
scalable innovations in education” by HundrED.org, an organization that seeks
and shares inspiring innovations in K12 education.
“To make this year’s Global Collection, 188 Academy Members
consisting of academics, educators, innovators, funders, and leaders from 113
countries performed 3,488 reviews based on their impact and scalability that
HundrED’s Research Team then evaluated to make the final collection” says
Crystal Green, the Head of Research, HundrED.
“Each year, HundrED compiles and publishes a renowned list
of the top innovations in education. PadHer made it to the list this year, yet
we are barely a year old. Being recognized quickly as one of the world’s
leading education innovations by such a reputable organization is a great
honor. This is the push we need to continue doing what we do at PadHer”, said
Chika Nwaogu, the founder of PadHer.
Chika continued, “One in 10 girls in Africa miss school
during their periods to avoid the embarrassment of bleeding through their
uniforms. Many drop out of school altogether once they begin menstruating.
Should our young girls miss 20% of school days or drop out due to a lack of
information or sanitary products? The plain answer is NO! There’s already a lot
standing in their way. Periods should not be one of them”
“We are providing innovative ways to educate and mentor
young African schoolgirls in underserved communities on periods and puberty
while making sanitary pads free and accessible. In a nutshell, PadHer is making
it free, fun, easy, and comfortable to teach young African schoolgirls from
underserved communities about periods and puberty using comic books”, Chika Nwaogu
added.
Mike Dunn, Director of College Counselling, U.S.A.:
“HundrED’s List of the World’s Top Innovations in Education is packed with
innovations that truly move the needle in education reform around the world.
Meeting the needs of students, parents, teachers, and communities, these
world’s best innovations are a go-to resource for anyone looking to catch a
glimpse of the wealth of possibility in education innovation and
transformation.”
HundrED is a Finland-based, mission-driven, and global
organization, that discovers, researches, and shares inspiring innovations in
K12 education. Their goal is to help improve education and foster a movement by
encouraging impactful and scalable innovations to spread across the world while
staying mindful of context.
PadHer is a women-led non-profit organization that uses
comic books to educate and mentor young African schoolgirls from underserved
communities about periods, puberty, and SRHR topics in order for them to
effectively manage their periods and build the self-confidence they need to
take control of their future and succeed.