A busy time of year!

What a busy time it’s been. Our auction is over and the baskets and prizes have been delivered to the lucky winners. We totaled nearly $8,000. Though short of our goal (of $15,000) we are happy that nearly 1,600 girls will receive our reusable menstrual kits, and learn about their menstrual cycle. 

Thank you to everyone who helped put together baskets or donated experiences. Thank you to the volunteers who helped photograph, advertise, wrap, transport, deliver and organize everything. We couldn’t have done this without a crew of committed people willing to do whatever needed doing. And thank you to the bidders of both baskets and raffle items. We are grateful beyond words.

The auction culminated in International Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28th. Activities happened all over the world to mark this day, raise awareness and demand an end to period poverty.

Last week we sent a suitcase of supplies to Kenya to help Jacky continue making kits for schools in the Kisumu area. Getting waterproof fabric and Tyvek to Africa is still a problem - you just cannot buy it there. To solve this problem, we are hoping to be able to import these materials from India. That will help streamline our production in Africa. Since January, Jacky has visited 48 schools and distributed 2,861 kits to schoolgirls.

In Uganda Phoebe has been busy finishing the construction of the building where the Wakiso guild makes MoonCatcher kits. The sewers have been using the building for quite a while now but only recently have toilets been added and a finished floor. The other 3 guilds are hard at work making more kits and will head out to schools once these new kits are completed.

The New MoonCatcher Center in Wakiso, Uganda.

The 3 Malawi guilds are sewing and setting up school visits. The Malawian currency (the kwacha) has recently been devalued by 25 percent making an already difficult life even harder for so many.

Students at the Mgodi Primary School in Malawi with their new MoonCatcher Kits.

India has been spreading MoonCatcher news throughout the country. Our MoonCatcher team there - the Shashi Kiran Charitable Trust - has been traveling to deliver education and MoonCatcher Kits to thousands of schoolgirls. Here is a video about a group of amazing young Indian girls who are spreading the word about getting knowledgeable and comfortable with periods.

With a great deal of caution, we have started holding a few MoonBees in person! Last week we had an in-person MoonBee at the Bethlehem Library. We limited participation to 20 people.  With everyone wearing masks and being careful we managed to get quite a bit of work done in a safe environment. It felt so nice to be with people making our kits again. 

My garden is planted, the lawn is mowed, and it feels like Summer. I hope all of you have something fun planned for the next few months of warmth.

Thank you always for your support.

Ellie