Menstrual Period Made Safe in St. Lawrence School Migyera
Many women and young girls in Uganda look at menstruation as a burden due to lack of good and safe protective materials to use when they undergo their cycles. They could use old and dirty piece of clothes. This has always created fear, stigma and discomfort among many girls especially those of school going age in fear of soiling their uniforms. This has always been accompanied with missing classes and drop outs.
Student excited over afri pads
In 2011 Change – A-Life came in to support students at St. Lawrence by offering them free afri -pads packs. These can be used for at least one year. Afri-pads are new brands in Uganda they are used, washed, well dried and kept. They can last for one full year of use. They are environmental, and cost friendly as compared to other sanitary materials commonly used. Primary and secondary students have continued receiving afri pads and guidance on how to use them in the consecutive years (i.e. 2012 and 2013) with the support of Change – A – Life.
In a nutshell afri-pads have improved school attendances, cut down on the rate of drop outs, and costs incurred while buying the disposable sanitary pads. They also reduce on bacterial infections which have been affecting some of our learners as a result of using dirty pieces of clothes.
Robinah Nampungu,
Social worker Migyera ,
Change-A-Life Uganda.