Studio Samuel Girls Academy is marking its tenth anniversary with the launch of Yewer Abeba, a free menstrual health educational app designed to combat one of the leading causes of school absenteeism among adolescent girls in Ethiopia. The app debuts on October 11, 2025, coinciding with International Day of the Girl, whose theme "The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis" aligns with the student-led initiative.
In Ethiopia, menstruation remains a significant barrier to education, causing many girls to miss school regularly. Yewer Abeba, which means "Monthly Flower" in Amharic, directly addresses this challenge by providing culturally relevant menstrual health information created by girls for their peers. The app is available for free download on Google Play, reaching approximately 95% of mobile users in Ethiopia who utilize Android devices.
The application features multiple language options including Amharic, Tigrinya, Afaan Oromo, and English, ensuring accessibility across diverse Ethiopian communities. Content development involved input from adolescent girls, educators, and health professionals, resulting in features like a period tracker, health resources, and a Kalkidan avatar based on Studio Samuel's menstrual health management ambassador. Notably, the app functions without requiring wifi after download and prioritizes user privacy by not collecting personal data, addressing concerns raised by parents and caregivers.
Tamara Horton, Founder and Executive Director of Studio Samuel Girls Academy, emphasized the app's significance, stating that no girl should have her education disrupted by natural biological processes. The Yewer Abeba app represents a practical solution developed through collaboration between students and medical experts, with research support from Dr. Kathryn Geurts and Global Health students at Hamline University. The technical development was powered by MakeADifference.tech.
This initiative builds upon Studio Samuel's proven model of combining education with health and skills training to achieve long-term empowerment. Since opening in 2015, the organization has impacted 25,000 girls through its programs and aims to reach one million girls by 2035. The menstrual health app represents an innovative approach to addressing educational barriers while empowering girls to take leadership in solving challenges affecting their peers.
The launch comes as Studio Samuel celebrates a decade of operation in Ethiopia, having recently rebranded as Studio Samuel Girls Academy to better reflect its commitment to girls' education. The organization's approach has demonstrated success through graduates who are enrolling in college, securing employment, and driving community change. By addressing menstrual health stigma and providing practical resources, Yewer Abeba represents a significant step toward ensuring girls can pursue education without interruption.
