Studio Samuel Launches Menstrual Health App to Combat School Absenteeism in Ethiopia

Studio Samuel Girls Academy, an Addis Ababa-based nonprofit organization, has launched Yewer Abeba, a free menstrual health educational app created by girls for girls in Ethiopia. The app debut coincides with both International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2025, and the organization's tenth anniversary year, representing a significant step in addressing one of the leading causes of school absenteeism among adolescent girls in Ethiopia.

The Yewer Abeba app, whose name translates to "Monthly Flower" in Amharic, directly confronts the educational barrier that menstruation creates for many Ethiopian girls. According to the organization, periods remain one of the primary reasons girls miss school in Ethiopia, disrupting their education and limiting their long-term opportunities. The app provides culturally relevant content designed with input from adolescent girls, educators, and health professionals, featuring a period tracker, health resources, and a Kalkidan avatar based on Studio Samuel's menstrual health management ambassador.

What makes this initiative particularly impactful is that it was developed by the students themselves, embodying the International Day of the Girl 2025 theme: "The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis." As one student currently in Studio Samuel Girls Academy explained, "Periods used to mean I would miss class. With Yewer Abeba, I feel prepared. The girl I am is a student, and the change I lead is showing my sisters and classmates that we belong in school every day."

The app is available for free download on Google Play beginning October 11, 2025, strategically targeting the approximately 95% of mobile users in Ethiopia who utilize Android devices. The language accessibility covers Amharic, Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo, and English, ensuring broad reach across diverse Ethiopian communities. Importantly, once downloaded, wifi is not needed to access the content, making it accessible in areas with limited internet connectivity.

Privacy concerns were prioritized in the app's development, with caregivers and parents specifically requesting that no personal data be collected. This feature builds trust within communities and addresses cultural sensitivities around menstrual health discussions. The technical development was powered by MakeADifference.tech in collaboration with Studio Samuel Girls Academy students and licensed medical experts, with research support from Dr. Kathryn Geurts and Global Health students at Hamline University.

Tamara Horton, Founder and Executive Director of Studio Samuel Girls Academy, emphasized the app's significance, stating, "No girl should have her education disrupted by something as natural as her period. Our menstrual education app—created for girls, by girls and shaped with their families and medical experts—puts knowledge and dignity in their hands."

The launch builds on Studio Samuel Girls Academy's proven model of pairing education with health and skills training to ensure long-term empowerment. Since opening its doors in 2015, the organization has impacted 25,000 girls with critical life skills through its Training for Tomorrow program. The organization has set an ambitious goal to reach one million girls by 2035, with the Yewer Abeba app representing a scalable solution to a persistent educational barrier.

This initiative demonstrates how technology can be leveraged to address deeply rooted social and educational challenges while empowering local communities to create their own solutions. By putting the tools for menstrual health management directly into the hands of Ethiopian girls, Yewer Abeba has the potential to significantly reduce school absenteeism and contribute to broader educational equity goals in the region.