HedhiHelp – A Health Education App for Girls in Rural Kenya
Arbelina Bebla, Mira Diwan, Elizabeth Lane Smith, Michele T. Parker, Sarah Pagnani, Kelsey Pasco, Sarek Sotelo-Jimenez, Brandon Smith, Kitty Kenyon, Silvia M. Figueira · 2018
A culture of social taboos and silence leaves many young Kenyan women beginning menarche in isolation, without complete understanding of the changes occurring in their bodies. This stigma imposes significant barriers to education and proper hygiene for young girls during a critical time in their lives. Not having the proper support and resources to manage this process, 1 in 10 girls in Sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period, and therefore are more likely to drop out altogether. To help solve this problem, we have developed an Android app that both educates girls on menstruation and helps them manage their period.