Menstrual Health Progress Report 05/11/24 to 19/11/24
ACTIVITIES
Through all these activities we had hands on training of girls and women, demonstrated for every mass we got during the meetings, and focus group discussion , we received positive feedback after our outreaches and campaigns and negatives feedback as we trying to rectify the challenges.
We have so far reached out to 1000 in puberty, adolescent teenage girls and special case young girls with pregnancy 5 in number. A total of 1005 girls.
GID Africa has managed Set up a waste management of used menstrual equipment’s at school, this happened at Lungujja Progressive Primary School.
We have started community menstrual advocacy outreach since schools are in holidays, girls in candidate classes are in holiday. In these outreaches we have a theme that goes menstrual health a health life and sustainable community life.
Girls in vacation were attended to and those in community with lack a chance to attain education. In slums of Nalukolongo area Wakaliga area, and different zones e.g. A ,B.
We move village to village holding meetings at the local council one chairperson s home and their offices depending on the feasibility. This is one of the superlative approach we have tested and excelled with a good number of young adolescent and puberty girls
We have been encouraging them to use water and soap for their bodily hygiene maintainence during their menstrual days and rest of life every time.
We have trained so far 200 girls on making handmade sanitary pads which are re-usable with the available materials like piece of clothes threats and sewing hand needles.
We have also availed them with the information on how to maintain those pad which are re-usable clean and safe for re use. PracticallyWe have also taught them on how to count their menstrual period days and prepare for them.
We have also taught them how to keep their bodies clean e.g. through washing and shaving their pubic and arm pits , washing their hands , brushing and general body hygiene.
We cautioned them on self-medication during period cramps [dysmenorrhea/ painful period] by themselves without the knowledge of specialized medical personnel.
During community public menstrual health management campaigns we are advocating for scrapping of taxes that are levied on the menstrual management products as we recognized that such taxes discriminate against girls and women right. And also we are campaigning for the government of Uganda to increase access to free menstrual management products in schools and health center from initial health center one to highest.
During public awareness campaigns of GID Africa we are advocating for multilevel approach so as we create a systematic stronghold s to ensure the right to menstrual health for all, we call institutions, community organization and individuals to join effort to promote menstrual health.
LESSONS LEARNT
We also came to understand during the times of sharing with these girls and women that girls and women [ adolescent girls engage in transactional sex to purchase period products which endanger s their lives and health by increasing the risks of un planned young pregnancy ‘ infections and loss of dignity to mole decay in the society which this has led to increased teenager prostitution .through these findings we realized that young girls sacrifice other aspects of their health and lives to protect their menstrual health .
We are trying as much as possible to make menstrual health a known song to everyone so as we pull out stigma which is still held by young girls through provision of necessary knowledge and information about management of it.
Note
Through our engagement with girls and women about menstrual health management, we have realized that a lot of effort is still need by everyone around the world to make a sustainable impact on menstrual health education. Menstrual health must be addressed holistically, policy makers, healthcare providers, educators, community health care and individuals can take step by step to protect menstrual health and thus a campaign Girl Impact Dynamic Africa. [GID] is spear heading and advocating for wherever it’s given a chance to push it. We have gone as far as in religious places of worship preaching menstrual health management as we package it as Sexual Health and Reproductive Health and Right [SRHR]
SRHR we teach girls and women about their reproductive system matters to its function and processes, to affirm that girls should be able to manage their menstruation in hygiene way, in privacy a with dignity, by including this, it’s important as menstrual health is inextricably linked to many other aspects of SRHR TO be a need of support and ensure the right to health is a reality for all girls and women.
CHALLENGES
We as GID Africa, limitation by funding , donation and menstrual health management equipment is still a key to hind us of our services and area of coverage where we need to concentrate more, we only work on a budget we can manage to access in our hands and this impends our running of activities in the organization. If a told we can amplify our budget this can increase the area of coverage and sustainably make her vibrant.