One group in particular, Evolve and Change, is targeting young girls in grade 6 and form 1. This is when most girls typically start menstruating. E&C Founder, Earleen Alcide, says period poverty severely affects girls’ productivity in the classroom and their school attendance.

“Period poverty has a major impact on young girls because a few parents can’t afford sanitary napkins - they’re expensive.  Many young girls when on their menstrual cycle have to stay home,” she explained. Alcide adds that the Government’s recent removal of VAT on sanitary napkins aids the situation, but it is the responsibility of advocacy groups to now lend assistance. “I am very happy that the government of Saint Lucia removed the taxes on all sanitary napkins so that parents can afford them. Young girls staying home because their parents cannot afford the sanitary napkins is a major setback on their grades.”

 Evolve and Change partnered with Gros Islet MP Hon. Kenson Casimir to provide sanitary napkins to schools in the constituency. These schools included both primary and secondary schools and benefitted hundreds of young girls. These schools included: Dame Pearlette Louisy primary School, Grand Riviere Primary School, Corinth Secondary School, Monchy Primary School, Gros Islet Primary School and the Saint Lucia Sports Academy.

“I do seminars at the schools and after I distribute packages for the students with a few items they would need on a day-to-day basis.  I decided to meet with my rep, Hon. Kenson Casimir, and asked him to partner with me. We visited the school to distribute sanitary items. He said it was an excellent idea and it would be perfect with the removal of VAT,” she explained.

 Alcide says the organisation will start hosting this distribution twice a year and will expand operations across the island.