Many girls from low-income families around the world are skipping school because they cannot afford or access sanitary pads. The stigma surrounding periods has been shown to directly affect a girl’s potential to succeed. If a girl misses school every time she has her period, she is set 145 days behind her fellow male students. Even then, most girls in the developing world choose to drop out of school altogether rather than face the embarrassment and shame of being unprepared for their periods. In addition, lack of menstrual hygiene can lead to very serious health risks such as Toxic Shock Syndrome, a life-threatening illness.