Build a Bathroom

A UNESCO report estimates that 1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during their menstrual cycle, which equals as much as 20% of a school year.

In developing countries, the lack of separate toilets for girls and boys is among the top barriers to girls’ education. When a girl reaches puberty, access to a separate toilet can be the decisive factor of whether she continues with her education. When girls are menstruating, they need access to a water point and to have a place where they can dispose of their pads. Without this, girls may miss up to 5 days of school every month or worse, drop out of school completely.

A lack of access to proper sanitation facilities poses a huge barrier to education as children frequently miss school due to hygiene-related diseases. Toilets and proper washing stations can help stop the spread of many parasites, diseases and infections such as diarrhea.