SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Indiana University South Bend announced it will host "Party with a Purpose," an annual campus- and community-wide day of service focused on menstrual equity and keeping girls in school, on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event is set to take place in the Grill and Fireside A & B on the IU South Bend campus.

The event is held in observance of International Women’s Day, celebrated globally on Mar. 8.

The event is organized by the IU South Bend Honors Program and co-sponsored by Michiana nonprofit Malawi Matters and its executive director, Phyllis Wezeman.

The event is meant to bring together students, faculty, staff, and community members to address period poverty, globally and locally, through hands-on service, education, and community partnership.

Participants will cut, assemble, and sew washable, reusable menstrual pads for girls and young women in Malawi, where lack of access to menstrual products causes many students to miss up to a week of school each month, according to organizers.

The reusable pads produced during the event will be distributed through Malawi Matters.

Organizers say the nonprofit has two decades of experience working in over 215 villages and 1,500 schools throughout Malawi using a train-the-trainer model focused on education, health, and empowerment.

The event also includes a menstrual product donation drive to support women in the Michiana community experiencing menstrual insecurity.

Organizers encourage attendees to bring packages of pads and tampons, which will be distributed to local service organizations.

“Party with a Purpose is designed to be welcoming and accessible,” said Neovi Karakatsanis, director of the IU South Bend Honors Program. “People can drop in for a few minutes or stay for hours, learn something new, and know that their time directly supports women and girls both locally and globally.”

Stations will include flannel, terrycloth, waterproof fabric, and sewing machines. No sewing or crafting experience is required.

Participants are welcome to stop by at any point during the day.

For more information, contact Neovi Karakatsanis at [email protected], Karrie Jean at [email protected], or Phyllis Wezeman at [email protected].