Bringing menstrual hygiene education to Kolwezi Ville

Core23Lab is breaking norms by bringing hidden conversations to the table. A group of 28 girls gathered around our energetic team of women who stepped up to share their menstruation tales. Most of the girls when questioned noted that their some questions they didn’t have answers to, for most of them sanitary towels where dished at them and they were warned to stay away from boys. But were hardly given any education on how to use sanitary pads, how to handle menstrual cramps, how the menstrual cycle works and most importantly what is menstruation.

For most communities talking about menstruation is considered not only a taboo but a rather shameful event in a girl’s life. From India and Islamic communities where girls on their periods aren’t allowed to attend religious services to communities in Africa were girls in there periods aren’t allowed to cook. For families living in poor communities sanitary pads are a luxury they can’t afford monthly hence girls miss school every month when on their circles. Not only are they left out on education  they are also left out on their right to be informed on what menstruation is and how to stay clean at this stage in their growth.

Majority of girls have been taught to not ask questions and are often not aware of what to expect. For majority of them their first menstruation experience was a secret event with no one to tell them what’s happening or what to do. In the midst of this eager group was a young mother who silently listened to conversations as they unfolded, from the corner of our facilitator’s eye you could see she was nodding but careful not to engage.

To most this may seem like nothing unusual but to communities like this where menstrual hygiene education is not taught widely it’s likely for girls to observe rather than engage. Core23Lab hopes to spread this knowledge to communities to let them know there is no shame in talking about menstruation.

To every girl out there let’s talk menstruation!

From Period to comma, let’s keep the conversations going!!!!

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