By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
Years ago, Nicole Alexandra Puckett and her husband, USAF MSGT (Ret) Nick Puckett, embarked on an adventure that is keeping them on their toes still today. They became parents in the conventional way, and they also felt called to adopt. Today they have a total of 12 kids and 6 grandchildren, both here and in Africa, and “missions” is their middle name. Their daughter Kristianna is number three in the line-up, and she has ministered extensively in Uganda since 2013. Nicole wears a number of other hats that keep her busy including homeschooling mom, grant writer, and post-adoption consultant. She is also knee-deep in writing curriculum for home-educated children, as well as for a popular curriculum publisher.
Kristianna and her mom are involved in ministry work that is delicate as well as daunting, and that is helping to eradicate in Africa what is known as “period poverty.” In America, women of child-bearing years typically don’t run into a situation where feminine hygiene supplies are unavailable, but in Africa, having what is needed on a monthly basis is the exception, and not the rule. It is not an exaggeration to say that the results of that dearth can be devastating. Here is what Nicole has to say on the topic:
Did you know that “period poverty” refers to the lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, and education about periods AND that remedying it is a part of holistic orphan prevention? This is an issue that affects MILLIONS of young women worldwide, especially those in poverty-stricken areas. The impact of this goes way beyond just physical health — it affects the girls’ ability to attend school or work and creates marginalization for them that does not affect young men. Wildflowers International has made it their cause to provide menstrual hygiene kits to thousands of young women in the slum areas of Uganda this year. In 2024, the Ministry of Health Uganda reported that 65% of Ugandan women do not have access to feminine hygiene products.
Why does this matter? Nicole said further:
With nearly 50% of Ugandan girls completing less than 7 years of education, and 700,000 girls between the ages of 6-12 never having been to school, these precious girls are already at risk for leaving education early. Menstruation makes education harder when you do not have supplies.
Ugandan girls who do not have period products resort to using pieces of foam, cotton, old rags, or even sand-filled bags. These can lead to infections. In a recent survey, girls reported that they missed up to 7 days of school every month because of their period. Ugandan girls who do not stay in school are more at risk for teen pregnancies or early marriages. Twenty-five percent of these girls are mothers by the age of 19, and 34% are married by the age of 18.
Imagine for a moment that you are a young girl living in an impoverished African community, and the time of the month arrives during school classes. You cannot ask a friend for a menstrual product because they either do not have one, or they cannot afford to share one with you. There aren’t exactly machines in the girls’ restroom, and even if there were, you don’t have a quarter to spend on anything, let alone supplies. You cannot ask your parents for hygiene supplies because everything they earned that day is just enough for food. So, you hurry home and find old rags and use those instead. You know that if you are not able to improvise, you will miss the next 3-7 days of school because you need a clean uniform to attend. The chances are great that eventually you will fall far behind and decide school is not for you. You find yourself instead in an early marriage. And here is the most tragic part — some girls will turn to prostitution just so they can earn money for supplies, and the dangers along with unwelcome diseases of the “world’s oldest profession” are extensive.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
March 7, 2025
