In 2021, Yeewi launched the “Laabal Rewbe” project — meaning women's hygiene in Pulaar — in the Saint-Louis region, fighting period poverty in schools and defending girls' right to learn with dignity.
This project reached 3,000 students across primary and middle schools, who are among the most impacted by the lack of access to menstrual products and adequate sanitation facilities.
To build on existing sexual and reproductive health initiatives, we worked hand-in-hand with local organizations in Saint-Louis to lead: empowerment spaces, awareness campaigns, and advocacy actions to ensure reproductive health finally becomes a genuine priority in local public policies.
Our work focused on educating and supporting communities to champion vital practices: using sanitary pads, managing menstrual cycles, and uplifting the well-being of young girls in the most marginalized areas.
Thanks to the financial support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and in partnership with ONG 3D, we built separate, secure restrooms designed specifically to meet girls' needs in three schools in Saint-Louis. These facilities finally allow students to stay in school during their periods—free from shame and barriers.
Schools also receive free menstrual products throughout the entire 3-year project, alongside educational workshops on menstrual cycles, girls' health, and period management.
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Ultimately, “Laabal Rewbe” carries a bold political ambition: we established a multi-stakeholder group (doctors, members of parliament, local elected officials, NGOs, and feminist activists) to demand that the Senegalese government pass a law guaranteeing free menstrual products in schools, women's prisons, and shelter facilities. We stand firm in our conviction that access to menstrual products is not a luxury: it is a fundamental human right.