Providing Reproductive Health and Hygiene Kits to Hurricane Survivors

16% of girls in Honduras suffer from sexual abuse before age 18, and after the displacement caused by the hurricanes, this number is increasing.

THE NEED:

Incessant rain, widespread floods, and landslides from two category four hurricanes have left over 128,000 Hondurans stranded in shelters and informal camps. The loss of homes and agricultural land has set the stage for one of the worst crises the country has ever faced. Women and girls are suffering disproportionately.  

OUR APPROACH:

Optio is distributing reproductive health and hygiene kits, in partnership with five local organizations, to 5,000 women living in shelters and informal camps in Cortés, Yoro y Santa Bárbara. Our kits are intended to provide women with resources to both prevent unwanted pregnancies and with feminine hygiene products that are in short supply and are much needed, given the lack of potable water in the areas where they live. Each kit includes contraceptive pills (which can be used as emergency contraception), condoms, feminine wipes, underwear, sanitary pads and information cards. The cards provide instructions on how to use the contraceptive pills as emergency contraception, information about how to access a safe abortion and on how to prevent and/or get help if they are sexually violated. In an effort to expand the overall impact of the project, all of our supplies were either bought from women vendors or made by local women. 

NEXT STEPS: With each additional $15,000 raised, we can provide 1,000 more women and adolescent girls with essential reproductive health and hygiene supplies.