Days for Girls Lake Chapala
Sustainable Menstrual Management and Menstrual Education for Girls in Lake Chapala
Where our Money Goes
Materials for Kits — Dozens of volunteers here at lakeside hand-sew and assemble menstrual management kits containing two shields and eight pad inserts. They are washable and last up to three years. Kits also contain a washcloth, soap, care instructions and a discreet back-pack to carry these items. The fabric, thread, bag ties and special leak-proof barrier material are included in this expense category.
We have begun providing a choice of receiving menstrual cups to older girls and women when appropriate. Because cups are a safe, sustainable menstrual management alternative approved by DFG International, and because cups last an average of 12 years, this is a cost-effective long-term solution and a kit component preferred by many girls.
Fundraising/Community Awareness — Posters, flyers, cards, and other promotional items are printed and distributed locally to educate the Lake Chapala community about our DFG program.
Classroom Education for Girls — 12 hours of classroom education (2-hour sessions each day) are provided to girls typically in their school setting. The sessions cover hygiene and menstrual management, the female reproductive system, menstrual cycle, fertility awareness, charting, safe sex, pregnancy prevention, violence prevention, and self care. The final separate session is with boys. Establishing contacts and arranging sessions in schools are part of this expense categor
Continuing Education (Post Classroom) — The follow-up to the classroom sessions is an internet strategy to maintain contact with girls who have participated in the DFG education program. Facebook fan pages, group email correspondence, and developing a new web-based You-Tube video series to reinforce “lessons learned” are included in this expense category. Facebook posts for interested followers are part of a communication strategy to stay in touch with our contributors and volunteers. Tracking our success at keeping girls in school and measuring other outcomes are included here, as are purchasing and distributing menstrual cups as a pilot program.
Income
As a registered Team with Days for Girls International, we comply with their International Transparency Rules. Every donation is recorded by name, date, and method (cash, check, Pay Pal, bank transfer).
Expenses
All of our expenses are also reported to the international office by category – kit expenses, education expenses, fundraising and administrative expenses. We have no administrative expenses because the team is managed by local volunteers we call Team Leaders.