Studio Samuel Launches Free Menstrual Health App to Combat School Absenteeism Among Ethiopian Girls

Studio Samuel celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2025 while amplifying this year's International Day of the Girl theme through the launch of Yewer Abeba, a free menstrual health educational app created by girls for girls. The organization, which empowers girls in Ethiopia to reach their potential through education and employable skills, timed the app's release to coincide with International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2025. This year's theme, "The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis," is embodied by Studio Samuel students who are leading conversations on menstrual health and creating solutions for their peers.

One student currently in Studio Samuel Girls Academy expressed how the app has transformed her educational experience, stating that periods used to mean missing class but now she feels prepared and can show her sisters and classmates that they belong in school every day. The Yewer Abeba app debuts in Ethiopia as a support resource for girls, available for free download on Google Play beginning October 11. With approximately 95% of mobile users in Ethiopia utilizing Android according to StatCounter Global Stats April 2025, the app reaches the majority of the target population through multiple language options including Amharic, Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo, and English.

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. A key advantage is that once downloaded, wifi is not needed to access content, making it accessible in areas with limited internet connectivity. Caregivers and parents trust Yewer Abeba because it does not collect personal data, a feature prioritized at their request.

In Ethiopia, menstruation remains one of the leading causes of school absenteeism for adolescent girls, and Yewer Abeba directly addresses this barrier by providing girls with dignity, knowledge, and confidence to continue their education. The app builds on Studio Samuel Girls Academy's proven model of pairing education with health and skills training to ensure long-term empowerment. Tamara Horton, Founder and Executive Director of Studio Samuel Girls Academy, emphasized that no girl should have her education disrupted by something as natural as her period, noting that their menstrual education app puts knowledge and dignity in girls' hands.

The Yewer Abeba app 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. As Studio Samuel marks ten years of operation in Ethiopia, having impacted 25,000 girls with critical life skills since opening, the organization continues its mission to reach one million girls by 2035 through education, health initiatives, and employable skills training that create lasting change for girls and their communities.