Over the past five years in Bangladesh, Ghana, Haiti, Nigeria and Senegal, Plan International Canada has worked with the Government of Canada to reach over 2.3 million people to strengthen maternal and child health, and to shift harmful social and gender norms. As part of this work, we helped establish over 1,300 village savings and loans associations (VSLAs), aimed at ensuring that women have access to the resources they need to keep themselves and their families healthy, even in emergencies like COVID-19. The groups have enabled women to generate over $670,000, while also offering them a safe and empowering space to access information about health and their rights. In 2020, the pandemic deepened existing inequalities in economic status and access to health care, particularly for women in remote communities, who are often excluded from decision-making. The VSLAs provide a safety net, made all the more invaluable by the global crisis.

"Through the VSLA, women have year-round access to funds. When women have money, others have no choice but to listen to them," states Theodora, a participant in Ghana. Members have started businesses with their savings to help pay for health costs and better support their children, and participant families can access community-pooled funds for emergency health services – a safety net made all the more invaluable by the pandemic. With greater financial security, women can access the support and care that both they and their children need – helping them change their own birth story. "Now, through our group, we can save money and use it easily in any emergency," says Beauty, a VSLA member in Bangladesh. "I feel secure."

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For years, deadly clashes between government and rebel forces in South Sudan have forced girls and their families to flee their homes, leading to one of the largest population movements recorded worldwide. Millions have left everything behind to seek refuge in neighbouring Uganda, where local resources were already scarce. In refugee settlements, girls, in particular, face extreme challenges in obtaining basic necessities, including personal hygiene items.

Our Because I am a Girl Project activities helped address this need by distributing 9,000 dignity kits – filled with essentials like reusable sanitary pads and soap – to girls across these refugee settlements and host communities, along with training to create their own reusable sanitary pads. Additionally, both boys and girls participated in inclusive monthly sessions on menstrual hygiene management and sexual and reproductive health, which helped to break down associated stigma and educate about risks. Collectively, these activities are helping to ensure that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and no matter what setbacks may arise, no girl has to go without the information, supplies or support they need to protect their health.

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