Enriching through stitching!

Last Thursday, the MakerSpace was buzzing all day as CGGS students and staff joined volunteers from the Camberwell branch of Days for Girls to make the individual components of feminine hygiene kits – a fitting project given that it was International Women’s Day.

When our Service Learning Coordinator, Liss Campbell discovered the organisation Days for Girls, she was instantly moved to learn how many girls and women were living without a hygienic and convenient way to deal with their periods. The impact that this was having on their lives also got to Liss.

Days for Girls is an international charity that makes feminine hygiene kits and distributes them across the world. Its vision is for every girl and woman to have ready access to feminine hygiene by 2024.

“It never entered my mind that this could even be an issue,” says Liss.

The School partnered with the organisation in 2017 and ever since has been working collaboratively, to not only make the individual components of the kits but to also distribute them to women in need whilst on our annual Service Learning trip to Cambodia.

Team Leader of Day for Girls, Carolyn Walker described the day as hugely successful, saying “We always feel warmly welcomed into the School and once again, were overwhelmed by the support we received.”

Together the students, staff and volunteers cut over 350 pieces of PUL, over 400 shields were cut, 200 pockets cut and stitched, 60 hot spots sewn and then traced ready to overlock, 404 liners threaded, folded and sorted, and about 300 shields snapped ready for use.

The group will come together again for another workshop at the School where the kits will be assembled, ready for distribution.