NGO tackles menstrual hygiene in schools

When questioned about her absences, this seven grader would produce a variety of excuses and reasons that nobody really believed.

This all changed with the launch of the Improving Girls’ Access through Transformation Education (IGATE) programme in 2013. This programme aims to identify and reduce the barriers that limit and hinder girls’ educational access, retention and learning outcomes.

One of the key components addresses the issue of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), a serious challenge faced by female pupils in rural areas.

One of IGATE’s partners is SNV, a Netherlands Development Organisation, which recently commissioned a consolidated baseline survey on menstrual management hygiene in 11 poor districts around the country, namely Binga, Lupane, Chivi, Mangwe, Insiza, Gokwe North, Gokwe South, Nkayi, Beitbridge, Mberengwa and Masvingo.

Pretending

According to the outcome of the survey, a large percentage of rural primary school girls do not attend school during their monthly period and then explain their absences by pretending to have had a variety of ailments.

“It was clear from the research that 72% of rural primary school girls who menstruate do not use regular sanitary towels, but instead rely on cotton wool, tissues or reusable pieces of cloth. About 20% of all primary school girls in rural areas are not educated or informed about menstrual hygiene before their menstrual cycle starts,” said Edina Bhala, SNV consultant and researcher.

Bhala advises that the survey, which involved group discussions with girls, teachers and women‘s groups, revealed that 67% of those who experienced menstruation for the first time while at school and who soiled their school uniforms were mocked by boys and girls alike and stigmatized by boys.

“About 70% of rural primary school girls are not even aware of the brand names of sanitary towels. It also emerged that schools do not include menstrual hygiene management for girls as part of their syllabus,” she said.

Absenteeism

It was concluded that a lack of adequate support from both the family and school has led to the increased absenteeism that has, in turn, led to poor school performance by the girl pupils.

Senior SNV water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) advisor, Lindile Ndebele, says that since the inception of the programme, SNV has made great strides in demystifying myths about menstruation and has empowered school girls with menstrual hygiene management information and facilities.

The topic of menstruation and menstrual hygiene management is a taboo in most communities. In some areas, menstruating females are not allowed to touch animals, come close to water points or even prepare or touch food” said Ndebele.

Ndebele’s organization is currently assisting in the improvement of WASH facilities in schools in all the 11 districts.

“WASH infrastructure in most schools is not girl friendly. Some toilets are so small that it is very difficult for girls to change their sanitary towels. Most facilities do not have running water, vital for hygiene, or refuse bins or incinerators,” she said.

The senior Wash advisor said her organisation had introduced low cost design innovations to efficiently enhance menstrual hygiene management facilities at schools for both pupils and female teachers. SNV is also distributing and encouraging the use of reusable menstrual pads (RUMP) at schools.