Why don’t girls go to school?

The Creation of our Positive Periods Programme - giving girls access to education

The Steve Sinnott Foundation was invited to The Gambia by Marie Antoinette Corr, the General Secretary of The Gambia Teachers Union, to find out why girls were not going to school and what we could do about it. 


We found that girls are missing 48 days a year from school and many of them were dropping out of school altogether as they cannot afford period protection and they do not have adequate toilet and washing facilities at their schools.

 

We decided to take action immediately. We carried out a pilot project which led us to a sustainable and replicable solution, the ‘Positive Periods Programme’. A training programme which teaches girls and women about menstrual health, and how to make their own sanitary pads.

 

These pads needed to be locally made using locally sourced materials, affordable, sustainable, reusable and washable, yet long lasting, comfortable and very importantly eco-friendly.

 

The pilot highlighted the need for a flexible program that could be adapted for each country or area to take into account cultural differences, different types of pads to suite different body types and fashions, variations in training facilities, and to be adaptable to teach hand sewing where sewing machines are not available. We learned that menstruation is seen as a scary and secret subject, so education around women’s health was essential.


Educators from The Gambia, shared this training with their colleagues in Sierra Leone. To date this work has enabled over 60,000 girls to go to school and participate in daily life – and that’s just in The Gambia and Sierra Leone. The teachers tell us “it is a life changer for women and girls in The Gambia.”



We have now taken this programme to Cuba where they have adapted it and made it their own. Grandmothers are training their granddaughters, and they are running the programme by WhatsApp and Zoom in response to Covid restrictions. They have shared this training with 20 different women's groups across Cuba this year already. The teachers in Malawi and Uganda are ready to start the training as soon as it is possible.

 

Think how much more could be achieved if with your help we can roll this program out to the countries who have requested this training, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Ethiopia, South Africa, Guyana, Cambodia, Nepal, Haiti and even the UK.

 

Talking about the issue of periods is still taboo. Our challenge is to change that. Let’s talk about periods and manage them in a better and more sustainable way. Let’s stop it being a secret, shameful experience. Let’s ensure that girls have the health knowledge that they need to manage their periods and their lives.

 

Our program has worked, help us to get it to more women. We need you to make this happen.


In our shop we have ‘The Gift of Positive Periods’ so you can donate directly to this cause and send this digital gift to a friend.


Give The Gift of Positive Periods
Steve Sinnott • May 6, 2021

Empowering Student Voices: Young Ambassadors Champion Inclusive Education for All

By Ann Beatty • October 13, 2025
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner. 

Seeds of Hope 2025: Young People Planting Peace and Sustainability Around the World

By Ann Beatty • October 3, 2025
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025

Teachers Advance in Guidance and Counselling Training in The Gambia

By Ann Beatty • August 18, 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.