Jascar Foundation - Our Mission
Our Goal, Vision & Commitment
Caroline Birungi, the workshop manager at Classic Africa Safaris, founded the Jascar Foundation with a clear mission: providing essential menstrual health education to young girls in Uganda, a topic often overlooked.
In Uganda, the experience of young women facing their first period without proper sanitary supplies can result in shame, isolation, and societal pressure to drop out of school. While this might seem extreme for many in the US and Europe, it is a harsh reality for young women in Uganda, including Caroline herself, who was deeply moved to action at the thought of others, including her daughter, enduring the same challenges.
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Through the distribution of sanitary pads, Caroline aims to enable girls to concentrate on and complete their education, ultimately narrowing the gender gap in school enrollment and retention. As part of this initiative, Caroline is actively working to train female teachers in schools to produce sanitary pads from locally available and sustainable materials.
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With unwavering determination and support from dedicated financial backers, In October 2022, the Jascar Foundation organized a "Menstrual Health Awareness" event that reached 500 girls from four schools. In addition to receiving vital information, each attendee received a pack containing two reusable sanitary pads.
Caroline emphasizes the critical need for these girls to remain in school after starting menstruation, as many are falsely informed that menstruation signifies readiness for marriage at any age. Caroline has witnessed firsthand the sad consequences of young girls dropping out due to the lack of sanitary supplies. She aims to change that!
Caroline was happy to share that the name "Jascar" comes from the combination of her name and her daughter's name.
We believe all women can embrace who they are,
can define their future, and can change the world.
Our Mission
We provide outreach, information, and services to young women about menstrual health and management through their schools and communities.
Our Vision
Today, Caroline reaches out to as many girls from various schools, educating them about menstrual health awareness. She addresses challenges faced by girls in school and the community, provides guidance on proper menstrual hygiene, instructs on the use of reusable sanitary pads, and distributes pads and underwear to those in need.