19.07.2024
Ugandan Entrepreneur's Solar Bags Help 12,000 Girls Stay In School
Jamila Mayanja, an entrepreneur from Uganda, has developed an innovative initiative to enhance education and the quality of life for African girls: the Solar Smart Bag. This waterproof, solar-powered bag is made from recycled materials and contains several useful tools to help girls stay in school. Each bag is equipped with a solar panel to charge a lamp, reusable sanitary pads, an informational booklet on menstrual hygiene, and a sewing kit. The initiative has already distributed thousands of bags, and Mayanja ambitiously aims to reach one million girls across East Africa. The Solar Smart Bag not only provides essential resources for menstrual management but also offers a light source for reading and studying at night, significantly improving the educational opportunities for girls. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has supported the production and distribution of these bags, assisting both refugee girls and those in host communities. The initiative has had a significant impact, allowing thousands of girls to continue their education without embarrassment or difficulty during their menstrual periods. Thanks to these bags, girls can attend school more regularly, feeling secure and supported. Jamila Mayanja and her team at Smart Girls Uganda are redefining menstrual management and access to education for young women in Africa, offering sustainable and innovative solutions that enhance their daily lives. Credit: BBC News Africa
Poverty deprives people of adequate education, health care and of life's most basic necessities- safe living conditions (including clean air and clean drinking water) and an adequate food supply. The developed (industrialized) countries today account for roughly 20 percent of the world's population but control about 80 percent of the world's wealth.
Poverty and pollution seem to operate in a vicious cycle that, so far, has been hard to break. Even in the developed nations, the gap between the rich and the poor is evident in their respective social and environmental conditions.
Poverty and pollution seem to operate in a vicious cycle that, so far, has been hard to break. Even in the developed nations, the gap between the rich and the poor is evident in their respective social and environmental conditions.
