Menstrual Health Kits - 5 Rural Schools in Murewa

Happy New Year to all our partners, we are excited on the prospects of a great 2017 together. We come to end of 2016 with a lot of pride of the miles we travelled together during the course of the year. Access to menstrual commodities and information by adolescents girls is a public health and human rights issue. We really appreciate that it is a right for every girl to have access to sanitary wear and age appropriate comprehensive information on sexual and reproductive health.

 Most girls in the rural schools of Murewa can hardly access the menstrual hygiene kits. This resulted in the use of unhygienic materials like newspapers and pieces of cloth as sanitary wear. In most instances, some of the girls miss classes during the time when they are on their menses.

In the course of implementing the project, we have been working closely with five secondary schools i.e Magaya, Chipinda, Chemapango, Hurungwe and Kambarami. We managed to distribute a total of 300 packs of sanitary pads with each containing 10 pads. A total of 100 of Orphans and Vulnerable girls benefited from this initiative. Each person received 3 packs. In addition, through Rozaria Girls clubs a total of 1000 girls received information on Sexual and Reproductive health, not limited to menstrual hygiene only but encompasses issues pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Each school was also given 10packs of sanitary packs as reserve to help girls who might suddenly have their menses at school whilst unprepared. The success recorded in brief;

• Created an open communication on girls’ menstruation in the targeted schools through the Rozaria Girls Clubs. This improved the girls’ knowledge on the issue and having a better understanding of their own bodies including their sexual development.
• Improved access to sanitary kits for 100 girls in 5 Secondary Schools who used different types of cloth as sanitary wear. This is unhygienic means can harbour some bacteria and microorganisms which cause infections.

Whilst responding to the menstrual health girls, the project also helped in the identification of girls who are vulnerable beyond the need for access of sanitary wear. A 14-year-old girl from Kambarami Secondary School was identified through the Rozaria Girls Club at the school. She lives with and takes care of her Great-Great Mother who is in her late nighties  (90’s). To her sanitary wear has been a luxury since she survived on doing menial work to get food, school fees and other basic necessities. Thanks to the linkages through this project, Rozaria Memorial Trust has adopted the girl supporting her with menstrual health needs, school needs and other basic necessities.

In 2017, our main target is to reach our target of supporting 500 girls who are mostly Orphans and Vulnerable. Through your mutual support we intend to provide each girl with a quarterly supply of 4 Sanitary Packs of 10 pads each. This will build the girls confidence and self-esteem at school and will ensure regular school attendance during the time of their menses. We will also strengthen information sharing on menstrual health with girls, parents, school authorities and policy makers. Menstrual health it’s a public health issue.

Your continued support is contributing immensely to the Sexual and Reproductive Health of adolescents girls in Murewa making sure that they enjoy their rights, build their self-esteem and improving school attendance during their menses. We are grateful for the partnership that is touching and changing lives.