Ailish McDonald: Care aid for young women

Ailish McDonald from Alberta supports her peers by distributing menstrual products

TELL US ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES AND IMPACT OF YOUR PROJECT

Through my Passion to Purpose Community Grant, I was able to purchase feminine hygiene products through Amazon.ca and have them distributed at school. I started by having bags on hooks in bathroom stalls. These were not as successful as we hoped as people took them. We then recycled coffee cans and made them into hall passes, put posters in the bathrooms to let students know where to find period supplies, and made coffee can supply kits for the bathrooms, including the unisex bathroom. Hooks were installed into the bathrooms to be able to have girls have their purses on the door not the floor. Our bathrooms are open so there is minimal privacy. Now, girls have better access to feminine hygiene and less girls are leaving the school due to having issues.

TELL US HOW YOU RECRUITED AND INVOLVED YOUR PEERS IN THE PROJECT

I talked to other students that had done SEEDs at Holy Trinity Catholic High School. I was able to get a couple of girls from student council and was able to have my sister help. There was also some staff support at the school.

WHO DID YOUR PROJECT ENGAGE AND WHAT IMPACTS DID YOU AND YOUR TEAM ACHIEVE?

I engaged 1300 students and staff at our school. My target participants were Grades 7-9 girls and transgender students.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS ACHIEVED THROUGH YOUR PROJECT

Less girls are leaving school and impacting their education as period poverty is no longer an issue. Everyone knows where to find supplies.

TELL US ABOUT THE LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH YOUR PROJECT

I should have started with the hall pass and coffee can idea. The bags were too easy for students to take and run off with.

Ailish organizes her care packages for giveaway.