What is the Dream Up Campaign?
The Dream Up Initiative is created to end stigma around periods and period poverty in Belize.
The Initiative was introduced during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic by Salima Barrow, a then 15-year-old Saint Catherine’s Academy high school student.
In the early stages of the pandemic Salima recognized that the difficulties many girls and young women in Belize experienced in not being able to afford period and other personal hygiene products due to lack of finances would be made worse by the economic impact of Covid-19.
She therefore embarked on a campaign to raise funds and in-kind donations to assemble 400 period and personal hygiene care packs which she distributed to girls in rural Belize District.
When girls and young women do not have access to period hygiene products, their confidence and education are at risk.
They are likely to miss school and avoid social contact because of concerns around being embarrassed because they lack the materials to properly manage this basic body function and the resulting stigma that they may face.
Salima believes that she can help positively impact girls’ confidence and their very futures, by improving their access to period hygiene products and providing them with support and education on the issue.
Through her Dream Up Initiative, Salima hopes to reach as many girls and young women from poor and vulnerable communities as possible to ensure that periods do not get in the way of their education and/or daily activities.
Our Vision
The Dream Up Initiative envisions a Belize where girls and young women feel confident, valued, and supported.
Our Mission
The Dream Up Initiative works to help end period poverty and period stigma in Belize through advocacy, providing direct access to period hygiene products for vulnerable girls and young women and creating awareness that period poverty and period stigma are societal issues.
Our Overview
It is no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected women and girls. Around the world, as well as in Belize, women still earn less, and hold less secure jobs.
As a result, many women and girls are faced with the issue of period poverty. Period poverty is a global issue affecting women and girls who do not have access to safe, hygienic sanitary products, and/or who are unable to manage their periods with dignity due to stigma.
