On any given Tuesday in the rural stretches of northern Uganda, a quiet crisis unfolds. While global development forums debate systemic equality, young girls face a physical and economic barrier that brings their education to a sudden, monthly halt. Reaching puberty has long been synonymous with shame, confusion, and isolation due to structural neglect.

ON YOUR MARK! Hundreds of advocates hit the streets of Gulu City for a 6km run demanding a menstrual-friendly society!

To rewrite this narrative, a powerful, disability-inclusive WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) partnership between the Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) and the Her Worth Foundation, with funding from The Advocacy Project, is stepping directly into rural beneficiary schools. Together, we provide comprehensive, tailored training that empowers young girls to embrace their growth with absolute confidence.

The true depth of this crisis lies in staggering numbers, compounded by traditional partner funding remaining heavily concentrated in urban centers.

It takes all of us, Men, Women, Students, and Leaders Running together so no girl misses school because of Period

“28% of girls miss school due to a lack of menstrual products, and existing resources are insufficient to meet even a quarter of the structural goals required to solve this regional crisis”, said Prudence, the Executive Director Her Worth Foundation

This reality infuses the partnership’s mission with a profound sense of urgency. “True dignity does not wait for external donations; it is born from radical self-reliance” said the Rt. Hon. Julius Labeja, Mayor of Gulu City.

By strategically merging GDPU’s structural resources and inclusive community access with the specialized technical expertise of the Her Worth Foundation, this collaboration represents a vital shift from short-term charity to systemic, localized self-reliance.

Hands on Leadership, Aligning the Mission at every Stage.

The partnership has successfully trained 100 vulnerable girls with the practical craftsmanship to manufacture high-quality, reusable sanitary pads using materials readily available in their own environments. This targeted intervention breaks the cycle of economic dependency. By transforming these 100 trailblazers from passive consumers into self-sufficient creators, the framework unlocks total biological autonomy and secures their long-term educational continuity.

Running For Her, With Every Step, One Less Girl Left Behind.

To amplify this impact, the movement recently brought its message to the tarmac, organizing a monumental 6-kilometer run through the streets of Gulu City. The event saw an impressive turnout, with 500 of the 600 registered participants gathering to advocate for the cause. Preceded by professional aerobics sessions and sharing light moments amongst participants, the run successfully united a massive cross-section of society, including local government authorities, emergency medical workers, inclusive networks of persons with disabilities, and the local community members.

Not Walking on Egg-shel, We are Running, Having Fun and Rewriting the Story for Every Girl Child after Us.

This public demonstration served as the launchpad for a bold, uncompromising policy stance: “menstrual health products must be accessible free of charge”. In a world where public health frameworks readily distribute items like condoms without cost, it is a profound injustice that young girls are financially penalized to manage a natural, inevitable biological process.

Building upon an institutional history of excellence, including technical mentorship from United Nations agency partners and a prior successful reproductive health project with a European embassy, the foundation is simultaneously pioneering urban innovations to establish Gulu as a “Period-Friendly City.”

Every Step Forward is a Step Towards Dignity, Access and No Girl Left Behind.

They are preparing to launch dedicated sanitary product dispensing booths in high-traffic trade zones like the Gulu Main Market, while partnering with hotel owners and workplaces to institutionalize emergency access to hygiene products.

Yet, as the public market dispensers are built and the first 100 girls begin producing their own pads, an overwhelming question hangs over the region. If a single partnership operating under tight resource constraints can mobilize hundreds of civic leaders, secure public space in major markets, and give 100 girls total biological autonomy, the true ceiling of this movement remains completely unknown.

Taking the Conversation to the Streets, Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amolatar District and His Worship, the Mayor of Gulu City Joins the 6km Menstrual Health Run.

What if this localized spark was fueled with the global resource efforts, it truly deserves? What if the empty spaces of every rural classroom in Amuru, Omoro, Gulu and beyond were filled with girls who no longer had to choose between their education and their monthly dignity? If a fraction of the necessary resources can ignite a movement this profound, what extraordinary, unstoppable transformation would sweep across these lands if the world finally decided to do more?