Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 10, 2025
Studio Samuel Launches Girl-Created Menstrual Health App in Ethiopia
TLDR
- Studio Samuel's Yewer Abeba app gives Ethiopian girls an educational advantage by reducing school absenteeism through free menstrual health resources.
- The Yewer Abeba app works offline with culturally relevant content in multiple languages, developed by girls with medical experts to track periods and provide health education.
- Studio Samuel's app empowers Ethiopian girls to stay in school, breaking period stigma and creating better educational opportunities for future generations.
- Studio Samuel launched Yewer Abeba, a menstrual health app created by Ethiopian girls featuring a Kalkidan avatar and offline access in four languages.
Impact - Why it Matters
This initiative directly addresses one of the most significant barriers to education for girls in developing countries—menstrual health management. In Ethiopia and many similar regions, period poverty causes millions of girls to miss school days each month, creating educational gaps that often lead to dropping out entirely. By providing culturally appropriate, accessible menstrual health education through mobile technology, Yewer Abeba not only keeps girls in school but also empowers them to become leaders in health advocacy. The long-term impact extends beyond individual education to community transformation, as educated women are more likely to invest in their families' health, pursue economic opportunities, and break cycles of poverty. This approach represents a scalable solution to a global problem affecting millions of adolescent girls worldwide.
Summary
In a landmark celebration coinciding with International Day of the Girl 2025, Studio Samuel, an Addis Ababa-based non-profit organization, is launching Yewer Abeba ("Monthly Flower" in Amharic), a groundbreaking free menstrual health educational app created by girls for girls. This initiative represents the powerful theme of "The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis" as students themselves lead conversations on menstrual health, breaking stigma and creating solutions for their peers. The app debuts in Ethiopia where menstruation remains one of the leading causes of school absenteeism for adolescent girls, directly addressing this educational barrier by providing dignity, knowledge, and confidence to continue education uninterrupted.
The Yewer Abeba app, available for free download on Google Play beginning October 11, 2025, features culturally relevant content designed with input from adolescent girls, educators, and health professionals. With approximately 95% of mobile users in Ethiopia utilizing Android devices, the app offers language accessibility in Amharic, Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo, and English. Key features include a period tracker, health resources, and a Kalkidan avatar based on Studio Samuel's menstrual health management ambassador. Crucially, the app operates without requiring wifi after download and prioritizes user privacy by not collecting personal data, addressing caregiver concerns while empowering girls with essential health information.
This innovative women's health resource is powered by MakeADifference.tech and developed 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. The launch coincides with Studio Samuel's tenth anniversary year, marking a decade of empowering Ethiopian girls through education, health, and employable skills. Since opening in 2015, the organization has impacted 25,000 girls through its Training for Tomorrow program and aims to reach one million girls by 2035, demonstrating a sustained commitment to breaking cycles of poverty and educational disruption through community-led solutions.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, Studio Samuel Launches Girl-Created Menstrual Health App in Ethiopia
