Gender Equality South Africa Project #42971

No more Menstrual Stigma. Period!

by Action Change (Formerly GVI Trust)

Project Report | May 12, 2020
The Menstrual Cycle does not stop for a pandemic!

By Tilda Christensson | Head of Project Development in Africa

Dear Supporters,

Period. There we have it again. It doesn’t stop simply because the world is facing a pandemic and because nations and economies are deciding to close down. This means that those who were struggling to get access to, or afford, intimate sanitation prior to the covid-19 outbreak are now facing greater difficulties to be able to prioritise such products when the household income is decreasing.

As many of the countries in Africa have entered into lockdown in response to covid-19, more and more girls have expressed the need to get access to sanitary pads immediately. This is predominantly due to the loss of income from families as informal and formal business can no longer operate, leaving many unemployed and without their daily income. Where resources are scarce, it is often girls which are the worst affected and do not get their voices heard. As a result, pads are deprioritised.

And this is where we, and hopefully you come in. For only 2 usd, we can supply one girl with the pads needed to get her through the next month. By coming together during this pandemic we can ensure that girls do not lose their dignity and that they remain safe during a time when the healthcare providers do not have the time or space to cater for anyone but those infected by covid-19. Together with our teams on the ground we are currently preparing for a pad pack to complement our food packs which are going to be delivered to girls in rural Zimbabwe. This is to ensure that we meet the emergency need in the community and come out on the other side. Help us stop menstrual stigma. Period!

The menstrual cycle waits, or stops for no one, not even covid-19. It is therefore more important than ever that we end menstrual stigma in Africa and provide the resources so that girls can remain healthy and hygienic regardless of where they are in their menstrual cycle. We appreciate all the support and donations which we have received from our generous donors so far and I hope that this support continues as we enter into the new normal!

With Gratitude,

Africa Mentrual Stigma

Permalink

Jan 13, 2020
Reusable pads is the affordable solution

By Tilda Christensson | Head of Project Development

Dear Supporters,

Period. There it is, one of the most natural things in the world, but still one of the most stigmatised topics to discuss in open; in particularly in Zimbabwe. This high stigma, coupled with a patriarchal culture and extreme poverty, one of the last things a family invests in tends to be intimate sanitation wear. To address this issue, a Zimbabwean Youth Group wants to start a social enterprise.

The GVI Trust, since 2019 have been collaborating with a local youth group in the Epworth Community. A community which is facing severe poverty experienced through no access to electricity and water, informal settlement and high levels of unemployment and consequently substance abuse and prostitution. This is a fact which is affecting all of Epworth, thus, it is the youth which are starting to lose hope. As a consequence of the current environment, the youth group comes together on a daily basis to address issues and discuss solutions with each other, the greater community but also key community stakeholders and leaders. With interest in topics to provide opportunity for recreational activities for youth, funds are needed.

When the youth group first pitched their initiatives to GVI Trust in October, our Head of Project Development asked what contribution the community would do to any potential investment in recreational alternatives, or how they planned on funding the maintenance. The group themselves said that they have the ideas but wanted to prepare the most sustainable option. Rather than simply asking for funds to address the ongoing, and never ending issues, the group wanted to independently earn an income to remain impartial to political activities and invest the areas requested by their fellow youth. To make the impact even greater, their business ideas they had in mind were social in nature to ensure that the product being sold is benefiting the community whilst also being environmentally sensitive. A month later when our staff returned to the community, the group has made a decision after careful consultations and democratic voting. They wanted to start a social enterprise which produce reusable pads and sell it to a heavily reduced price to girls in the community. A product which would increase the attendance rate of girls, improve their mental and physical health and reduced the stigma all whilst also teaching the girls in how to continue to make the pads independently.

In Zimbabwe, menstruation is still highly stigmatised and due to the lack of financial resources, many girls miss school whilst menstruating, reducing their chances of passing in school and eventually enter into the official labour market. To address this issue, a local youth group wants to start a social enterprise to produce reusable pads to a heavily discounted price to sell to young girls in their community. However, to start off such an initiative, the GVI Trust are now supporting the youth group and asking our donors, fundraisers and supporters to contribute in the battle to stop the stigma and provide affordable and environmentally friendly solutions to the families in Zimbabwe. Without your help, our projects would never be able to come as far as they have, and for that, the GVI Trust and the Zimbabwean community is extremely thankful.

With Gratitude,

Zimbabwe Mentrual Stigma

Permalink

‹ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.