02/08/2026
Pad a Child Through Storytelling
One of the things I love doing is telling my children how I grew up without pads. We used reusable cloths, washed them, and dug a hole in the field to dump the water. Every time I tell this story, my 18-year-old looks at me like, “Mama… be for real.”
This is a girl who—if she had the option—would rather throw away her underwear and buy new ones. The idea of washing period blood is completely unimaginable to her. And honestly, that contrast reminds me how far I’ve come.
I tell these stories with pride because I got out. I can afford pads. I can afford comfort, dignity, and choice.
This month of February, I am sponsoring girl children at Alabama Plots in Kadoma, Zimbabwe, making sure every girl has access to sanitary pads—so no one has to miss school, feel ashamed, or suffer in silence because of a natural monthly cycle.
Menstruation is something we all go through as women and girls. Going through it without proper resources is simply not fair.
My friends and family—if you got out, and you can afford a pad and more—please be moved with me. Sponsor a girl. Bless her with a pad. Restore her dignity.
Together, we can turn a painful memory into a powerful gift for another girl. 🌸
