No more Menstrual Stigma. Period!

Yes, it's a significant issue affecting many girls across Africa. The lack of access to affordable sanitary products often leads to girls missing school during menstruation, and in some cases, it can even result in them dropping out of school entirely. This is largely due to the combination of economic barriers, social stigma, and insufficient access to menstrual hygiene products.

Key Challenges:

1. Economic Barriers: Many families in low-income communities struggle to afford basic necessities, and sanitary products are often seen as an additional burden. For many girls, using alternatives like rags or even leaves is common, but these solutions are uncomfortable, unsanitary, and can contribute to infections.

2. Lack of Awareness: In some areas, menstruation is still considered a taboo subject. Lack of education around menstrual health can result in embarrassment and shame, further hindering girls from attending school or seeking help.

3. Inadequate School Facilities: In many schools, there is a lack of clean and private spaces for girls to manage their menstrual health. This can cause them to feel uncomfortable or even unsafe, making it more likely they will skip school during their period.

4. Stigma and Gender Inequality: Menstrual stigma can lead to discrimination, bullying, and isolation of girls who menstruate. The gender inequality that underpins many societies often means that girls’ education is not prioritized in the same way as boys', making it harder for them to access the resources they need.

Impact on Education:

• Absenteeism: Girls can miss up to a week of school every month due to menstruation. In many cases, these missed days add up, making it difficult to keep up with their studies and leading to poor academic performance.
• Dropout Rates: In extreme cases, girls who can't afford menstrual products or don't have access to facilities may drop out of school altogether. This often limits their opportunities for further education and future employment.

Our program focuses on running workshops for women and girls to attend, these workshops are free and we provide refreshments to encourage attendance. When they come along our medical team run an Q and A session and introduce different types of issues and solutions to the girls. Talking as a group in a confident space helps build awareness but it dosen't end here we provide free sanitary towels to all the women that attend, however we know this does not solve the issue of poverty and access and this is why moving forward we would like to issue the silicon mentstral cup to women, these cups can last upto 10 years and are easy to clean and reuse - this would be life changing to push across Africa. The current cost is $10 a cup 

Thank You