SANITARY TOWELS FOR GIRLS IN RURAL SCHOOLS

Every year, the civil society community in Uganda is excited to celebrate among others the menstrual hygiene month. May 28 menstrual hygiene day is dedicated to raise awareness on the benefits of menstrual hygiene management among girls, women and other stakeholders.

Although Menstruation may come naturally to most women and girls, a number of factors including limited resources, lack of sanitary facilities and products and Myths may hinder the practice of proper menstrual hygiene. This would in other cases expedite discrimination, stigma and exclusion against women and girls. Good menstrual hygiene practices and management such as a safe, private and hygienic environment would largely impact on the confidence and empowerment of women and girls to complete developmental and personal tasks with dignity.

This year’s theme on Menstrual Hygiene Management calls for stakeholders to “Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health.", It is timely, as many families are struggling financially and also many communities are aware of the need of such facilities, products, services and practices that promote menstrual hygiene. Globally, at least 500 million women and girls lack proper access to menstrual hygiene facilities. Several factors influence difficult experiences with menstruation, including inadequate facilities and materials, menstrual pain, fear of disclosure, and inadequate knowledge about the menstrual cycle (World Bank 2018).

Good hygiene practices require the use of absorbent and clean sanitary pads, clean water for adequate washing of the genital area and structures such as clean bathrooms that will provide privacy and the long time health benefits while instilling the sense of dignity among the users. However, these products and structures will require financial resources to construct or purchase products on a monthly basis. Although these are very important, the presence of a community and cultural practices that values and recognizes the rights of women and girls and supports them to manage their menstruation with utmost comfort and dignity is as well important.

This year ,we reached out to schools in the rural communities of the Northern part of Uganda in Karamoja sub-region. Our encounter with pupils of Moroto Municipal primary school highlighted the actual issues young girls face in their school and community. We distributed re-usable sanitary towels to the Girls and trained them in good menstrual hygiene practices.

The communities are mainly rural with most services and menstrual hygiene products being expensive and not readily available in most centers. The outreach was attended by 140 pupils of the school and was segmented in an encouragement session where the present implementing partners shared break through experiences that encouraged the girls to stand firm for their rights and aspirations even in the hard times; Sharing session that provides an opportunity for the girls to share their experiences and challenges in the menstrual hygiene management.

• The participants shared among others following challenges on menstrual hygiene management - Many of the young girls preferred use of disposable pads whose make is leak proof helping girls to remain confidence all day or during the time of use. However, these are experience and many not are available in rural shops.
•  Cloth pads are very uncomfortable and require a lot of work. Washing and drying in a safe place may be hard. Cloth pads are hard to keep especially when one needs to change; there is no safe storage especially when one is at school. 
• Lack of facilities where girls can change or refresh in school communities yet they spend most of their day time at. Girls may opt to go home early in case they need to change or dress up 
• Lack if available running water in the schools and long distances to get water that make washing and maintaining a clean reusable pad.These limitations and discomfort caused by menstruation, would force some girls to forego school to avoid stigma and being shamed by their fellows. To encourage girls to stay in school we supported the attendees with a reusable pack of sanitary towels. The pack contained 5 reusable pads that can be used for a two years. Reusable pads are inexpensive and once attained can be used for a long time giving the girls confidence that they have products to use for a while.