Thousands of girls in Kenya and beyond have been empowered to continue their schooling and face the future with hope and confidence, after receiving reusable hygiene packs donated by OneHope Baptist Church. The church in Geelong has partnered with its Kenyan sister church and the Restoration Educational Centre in Kawangware to deliver around 3,000 Dignity Packs over the past 10 years.
“Girls’ hygiene is a taboo topic in our African culture. Girls don’t even know who to talk to about this or where to go,” said Salome, a member of the sister church, who hands out the packs to Kawangware’s Grade 6 girls each year. For the past six years, OneHope has assisted her to receive training in women’s-health education, and she now passes on this knowledge to the girls. “When we hand out the packs, one of the greatest benefits is that we have the opportunity to educate them, to talk to them freely, and to show them it is not a burden, it is not a problem, it’s a pride for every girl child. They are so grateful that we have given them the ability to stay in school and they can pursue their goals without any fear. The impact is felt in the church, in the community and far beyond.”
Around the world, 500 million women are affected by a lack of women’s-health education and an inability to access hygiene products. OneHope member and coordinator of the Dignity Packs ministry, Ruth Chesson, said these girls often stay home during their period, missing around 20 percent of their schooling. “Most girls would fail subjects or drop out. Now, there are girls who have come from the poorest communities, who are in university because they have been able to stay in school. Every pack that is made, we pray over many times that it will bless the life of the girl who receives it.”
For the girls who receive them, the packs are more than practical gifts, they are a reminder that someone cares about their future and wants to see them thrive. One Kenyan student said: “My pack has made a profound change to my life. Thank you for your compassion. I can now focus on my studies. I wish to become a cardiologist, and I am working hard for it.”
Ruth created her first Dignity Packs after her daughter saw the need while doing aid work in Africa. Some time later, Ruth felt the Lord prompting her to help. “It’s all the Lord’s work. I’m just someone who sews! The Lord has laid on my heart that I’m quite capable of doing this for Him and I have a real peace that God will use each pack for good.”
The packs cost $10-15 to make, and contributors spend many hours sewing and collating them. The ministry is funded by generous donations from people within the church and other community groups. Ruth says, “The flood of people interested in helping has grown enormously, as the church began to see the impact of the packs.”
The ministry has also played a role in sharing faith. Once, when it was difficult to get the packs to Kenya due to travel restrictions during the pandemic, Ruth sent 450 packs to Zambia through Doctors Without Borders. “A little Baptist church took them to an outback area and the women there were so astonished by the gifts that they asked for the church to send a pastor to preach to them about giving. Many from the community came to hear the preacher and a lot of people gave their hearts to the Lord.”
God is at work through this special ministry. Every Dignity Pack carries more than the practical supplies a girl needs; it carries a message of dignity, encouragement and God’s love – one stitch, one pack and one life at a time.