Since its founding in 2021, PadHer, an organization that seeks to eradicate period poverty in Africa, has impacted over 2,000 young African schoolgirls.
It was recently named one of the “most impactful and scalable innovations in education” by HundrED.org, an organization that seeks and shares inspiring innovations in K12 education.
“To make this year’s Global Collection, 188 Academy Members consisting of academics, educators, innovators, funders, and leaders from 113 countries performed 3,488 reviews based on their impact and scalability that HundrED’s Research Team then evaluated to make the final collection” says Crystal Green, the Head of Research, HundrED.
“Each year, HundrED compiles and publishes a renowned list of the top innovations in education. PadHer made it to the list this year, yet we are barely a year old. Being recognized quickly as one of the world’s leading education innovations by such a reputable organization is a great honor. This is the push we need to continue doing what we do at PadHer”, said Chika Nwaogu, the founder of PadHer.
Chika continued, “One in 10 girls in Africa miss school during their periods to avoid the embarrassment of bleeding through their uniforms. Many drop out of school altogether once they begin menstruating. Should our young girls miss 20% of school days or drop out due to a lack of information or sanitary products? The plain answer is NO! There’s already a lot standing in their way. Periods should not be one of them”
“We are providing innovative ways to educate and mentor young African schoolgirls in underserved communities on periods and puberty while making sanitary pads free and accessible. In a nutshell, PadHer is making it free, fun, easy, and comfortable to teach young African schoolgirls from underserved communities about periods and puberty using comic books”, Chika Nwaogu added.
Mike Dunn, Director of College Counselling, U.S.A.: “HundrED’s List of the World’s Top Innovations in Education is packed with innovations that truly move the needle in education reform around the world. Meeting the needs of students, parents, teachers, and communities, these world’s best innovations are a go-to resource for anyone looking to catch a glimpse of the wealth of possibility in education innovation and transformation.”
HundrED is a Finland-based, mission-driven, and global organization, that discovers, researches, and shares inspiring innovations in K12 education. Their goal is to help improve education and foster a movement by encouraging impactful and scalable innovations to spread across the world while staying mindful of context.
PadHer is a women-led non-profit organization that uses comic books to educate and mentor young African schoolgirls from underserved communities about periods, puberty, and SRHR topics in order for them to effectively manage their periods and build the self-confidence they need to take control of their future and succeed.
