By Bob Maahe | Executive Director and communications officer
Surprisingly, when senior woman tried to separate the girls from the main class such that they go to attend menstruation hygiene management education and sanitary distribution activity, Ronald, one of the boys in the class raised up the hand and asked why such education and activity always isolate them as pupils of the same class.
The teacher told him that, these are for women not men. Ronald confidently replied that " I believe if we are to have dignified menstruation as I always read on some articles, such segregation of girls from boys whenever such activity time comes, will not have the nation achieve this". To us as the project leaders and the school coordinators, this really challenged us, sparked a 20-minute discussion before the activity commencing, but eventually, we all agreed to always involve the boy child in such activities.
From the Ronald's argument, we have realised that for sustainability purposes, the two sexes need to be together to challenge the period poverty issues, women alone, civil society actors and the government cannot alone achieve this but the entire society if responsible can play a vital role in achieving it.
Both boys and girls attended the menstrual hygiene management lessons and menstrual products distribution and all celebrated together. This act showed us that even when it comes to supporting women with access to securing sanitary pads, through after attending and acquiring knowledge in this joint education meet ups, it will be a combined effort in addressing the period poverty challenges holistically, reducing on the women burden in the future.
The exercise reached 80 girls who directly took home the packages of sanitary pads and 101 pupils with menstrual hygiene management awareness education.
They all appreciated UYSTO, GlobalGiving and all those individual donors who have always fought hard to make sure that they stay in schools with all what is needed for a safe learning environment.
It’s unfortunate that the project is soon ending, and putting all the efforts to the organization’s sustainability plan of constructing the its own premises and vocational training centre for the targeted population of the young people and teenage mothers. Hoping that, at that stage when UYSTO has its own premises, it will be able to channel the current renting funds to supporting the poor urban school undergoing girl child with sanitary pads.
I recommend that once we are done with this project, of course which is soon ending, our current and new donors, support us to kick start the construction of the youth vocational skills training centre
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