Free but registration is required.

The public is welcome to join members of the Indianapolis Propylaeum on Wednesday, May 3, to do something that will help girls on the other side of the globe stay in school. We are gathering for a third time to make feminine hygiene supplies for the nonprofit organization Days for Girls. Help us prepare kits that young women of Malawi can use to manage menstruation since sanitary products are not available in this impoverished country. Consequently, these young girls miss about a week of school each month.

With the feminine hygiene supplies we make, the girls are able to stay in school, wash the reusable pads and panties, and maintain their dignity while continuing their education. Otherwise, girls use leaves, mattress stuffing, newspaper, and cornhusks, anything they can find and still miss up to 2 months of education and opportunity each year. Menstrual hygiene management and education classes are provided to the girls before they receive one of the kits.

Your talents will be utilized in some way if you can join us for this free community event. Is it sitting at one of the sewing machines or surgers? Is it cutting fabric, pinning pieces together to be sewn, pressing wrinkled fabric, or drawing a pattern on a fabric that is more your skill? If you would like to lend good scissors, cloth cutters, cutting mats or portable sewing machines for this project, it would be appreciated. We can use your help.

We will be guided by a seasoned representative of Days for Girls. If you would like to make donations, you may bring donations of gallon size freezer Ziploc bags, colorful panties in girls’ and women’s sizes (no white, please) and washcloths in dark, bright colors.

For more information, visit www.daysforgirls.org.

Registration is required and free. Bring a friend. Call the Indianapolis Propylaeum at 317.638.7881, option 5 or email us at HistoricProp@aol.com and write “Malawi” in the subject line.

The Propylaeum Historic Foundation, Inc.

1410 North Delaware Street

Indianapolis, IN 46202-2417o

http://www.propindy.org