Adolescents being sensitised
To commemorate the International Menstrual Hygiene Day every May 28, the Organization for Women’s Empowerment and Development OWED, educated some adolescent girls at Che Street Ntarinkon Bamenda in the North West region, Sunday May 28, 2022, about menstrual hygiene.
The aim of this activity which saw over 15 adolescents was to, educate the adolescent girls about menstrual hygiene, increase awareness amongst adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene, give access to the use of quality sanitary napkins to adolescent girls in the rural areas and to ensure safe disposal of the sanitary napkins in an environmentally friendly manner.
In order To break taboos surrounding menstruation, raise awareness of the importance of good menstrual hygiene management worldwide, The theme of World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2022 is “to create a world where no woman or girl is held back because they menstruate by 2030.”
The day was first initiated by The German non-profit WASH United established Menstrual Hygiene Day in 2013. It was first observed globally in 2014 and has grown since then.
The participants were taught how to keep their bodies clean especially during menstruation, not to wear tight clothes when you are on your period and to Change your pad when your period is flowing too much and always move around with spare pad in your bag.
CHALLENGES Faced
Lack of information: Girls often lack back information about menstruation especially when the start to menstruate for their first time.
Lack of access to menstrual products: Some people could not be able to afford good sanitary pads for themselves because they are not having finance to meet up with their needs.
Lack of finances: Some people could not afford sanitary pads because of financial issues.
The adolescents were provided dignity kits consisting of pads, pants, solar lamps, savon, loin cloth, toothpaste, tooth brush and bucket. This distribution was thanks to a donation from International Rescue Committee.
