Panguitch Quilt Walk Charity Project - Days for Girls

Days for Girls is a non-profit organization that helps girls stay in school and retain dignity, giving back important days of their lives. Most girls in developing countries miss up to five days of school each month during their periods; many eventually drop out.

In areas where women have been taught that menstruation is a curse and a reminder that they are somehow less, DFG is helping them to remember that their bodies are their own, and that they are worthy of health, opportunity and dignity.

Days for Girls makes high-quality feminine hygiene kits that help to empower and inform girls, women, and communities by providing sustainable feminine hygiene information and supplies.

CONTACT THE CHAPTER NEAREST YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL EVENTS.

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What's in the days for girls kit?

THE INNOVATION OF A DAYS FOR GIRLS KIT

• Culturally appropriate: Provides the solution women and girls ask for.
• Easy to dry outside: Doesn’t look like a typical pad, so women are not embarrassed.
• Environmentally friendly: Uses less water, and doesn’t create waste like disposable pads.
• Durable: It last for 3 years.

A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN THREE YEARS…
Every Washable Feminine Hygiene Kit lasts up to three years. A lot can happen in three years. In that time, a girl can become educated. A woman can provide for her family. The cycle of poverty can be broken. A girl will gain back 180 days of school. That’s 180 days of education, health, safety and dignity.

EDUCATION FOR GIRLS: Girls worldwide suffer indignities, infection, even exploitation trying to stay in school. After distribution of Days for Girls kits, school absence rates dropped IN KENYA 25% T0 3% and IN UGANDA 35% TO 8%.

DIGNITY: Around the world, girls and women without pads use rags, mattress stuffing, banana leaves, feathers, and cow dung to manage their menstruation. In India, 1 in 4 girls drop out of school when they start menstruating Days for Girls has reached over 100 countries on 6 continents, serving over 400,000 women & girls…and counting! Every Girl in the world deserves education, safety, and dignity.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
DONATE AND SEW KIT ELEMENTS
FUNDS AND ITEMS ACCEPTED DURING THE QUILT WALK FESTIVAL.

DONATE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

FABRIC
The Girls love color! Fabric type, color, and design is VERY IMPORTANT. Use pretty, bright and colorful fabric which young girls will fall in love with! Bright and colorful fabrics will also disguise stains.

PREWASHING: All fabrics except PUL must be washed before sewing. If you choose to prewash your donated material, it is preferable to use detergent that is non-allergenic and has no added perfumes. Fabric softener must not be used; they decrease the absorbency and can be irritants to the girls. Do not prewash panties and washcloths.

FABRIC FOR LINERS: Quality, durable 100% cotton flannel – No bed sheets! Appealing Medium/Dark colors with patterns that help hide stains (fabric can have some lighter colors in a pattern). Botanical, geometric, batik, etc. patterns are best. No light-colored fabrics that will easily show stains. No prints with a face/eyes (animals, fish, people, etc.) No insects or snakes (butterflies without face/eyes are okay) No Camouflage/Guns/Hunting. No solid saffron yellow fabric (the color of Monk’s robes), yellow in patterns is okay No fabric with suggestive words Avoid National flag patterns.

FABRIC FOR SHIELDS: Good quality 100% cotton woven fabric, similar to quilter’s cotton. No knits, flannels, corduroy, or home décor fabric. Pick colorful stain-busting fabrics, preferably botanicals, geometrics and batiks. Prints are preferred. Fabrics should be medium to dark in color to disguise stains. Some prints are offensive or illegal in some communities. Prints with people, animals, faces and figures cannot be sent to Muslim countries. NO camouflage fabrics as there are illegal in many countries. Fabrics with food, bugs, reptiles, guns, knives, culture-specific themes as well as girly-glam should be avoided. Bugs, reptiles and animals are predators in some areas; fabrics including these are uncomfortable for girls to wear and use. Butterflies are okay.

FABRIC FOR DRAWSTRING BAGS: Use quality materials (good quality quilter’s cotton). Fabric may be 100% cotton or poly-cotton blend. Use bright, colorful, pretty, washable fabric. Do not use anything with animals, reptiles, war, camouflage, glam, bugs, knives or anything culturally-specific; these items are forbidden in some cultures, as well as inappropriate in many others. Florals and geometrics are best. Bags must last three years of daily use (the girls use them every day, not only a few days each month).

Does it really matter how they look?
A: Yes, because she not only will count on it, she will frequently have it with her. No, it doesn't have to be beautiful to be functional, but she notices and appreciates when the kit is beautiful and that helps break shame and stigma.

RIBBON OR TWILL TAPE FOR DRAWSTRINGS: The best option for drawstrings is ½ inch or 5/8 inch twill tape or grosgrain ribbon. Do not use tiny cording or string because it digs into the skin and is not comfortable to wear. The drawstring must be washable and durable.

THREAD: Durable 100 % polyester in bright colors for sewing machines or sergers.
WASHCLOTHS: Brightly colored inexpensive commercially-made washcloths which dry quickly and are not so plush as to add excessive weight and bulk. These can be purchased at Walmart or other similar stores and usually come in a multi-pack. If there are some white washcloths in the package, it is okay. These will be taken out and dyed a bright color. WASHCLOTHS SHOULD NOT BE PREWASHED.

PANTIES: Girls size 10, 12, 14 or 16—purchased in the GIRLS department (not junior’s or women’s). Brightly colored is best. Preferably a cotton blend brief (nylon causes chafing). No thongs, bikini, or boy shorts. No faces or animal prints. It is okay if there are some white panties in a multi-pack. We dye the white panties to help hide stains. DO NOT PREWASH PANTIES.

Travel-sized/hotel soap

PUL: PUL stands for polyurethane laminate fabric. This fabric is the moisture barrier in DFG shields. It is lightweight, breathable, flexible, durable, non-toxic and waterproof. This is the only acceptable material for the waterproof layer in the shields. It does not have to be white, colored or printed is ok. Do not pre-wash PUL. You can find it online at various sellers (ebay, fabric.com, wazoodle.com, etc) or locally (Joann's, Hancock, Hobby Lobby, etc). You can also order it directly from DFG international. Email pul@daysforgirls.org.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY SEWING:
The sewing page of the Days for Girls website has patterns, instructions and videos to make and assemble our kits. The FAQ page has important tips and considerations as well. (The sewing page is found at VOLUNTEER/ Make Kits.)

Sewing for Days for Girls does not require you to make entire kits. It is very acceptable to pick one or two items in the kit and concentrate on that. This allows you to match your skills and resources with the appropriate sewing tasks. The completed items can be sent to DFG headquarters or a DFG Chapter near you who will combine your donations with the other necessary elements to put together the completed kits. That said, we are always overjoyed to receive entire kits; please consider doing so if you have the resources for it. Choose the option that is the best fit for you.

Remember: the written instructions are the official instructions; they include the most up-to-date instructions. The videos are helpful; however, it is more difficult to re-do them with every slight change in design or procedure, thus, please use the written instructions as the official specification.

Quality Control: Use of proper fabrics and proper prints and colors -- these things are incredibly important. These topics are covered well in the instruction documents. If you have any questions, please write to SewingSpecialist@DaysForGirls.org for answers. Please note that items made incorrectly CANNOT be used by Days for Girls; the health of the girls and longevity of the kits is paramount. Please do everything you can to avoid improperly made items; inability to utilize something which has been lovingly but incorrectly made is such a shame. We desire everyone’s time and resources to be well-spent.

Shields are the most intricate item to sew, but they are NOT difficult. Anyone who sews carefully and attentively can sew shields. (Generally, quilters do very well with shields, as they are familiar with detailed work.) Every Days for Girls Chapter has a snap machine, so it is not necessary to put snaps on the shields. You can deliver them to your local chapter, and they will be happily install the snaps.

Our patterns and instructions have developed over time with input from many sewers AND with feedback from the girls themselves. It is important to follow our guidelines as they accommodate cultural sensitivities and have been developed with a focus on health and hygiene. Our kits are intended to last three full years – using quality materials and good sewing techniques are important for longevity of the kits.