Malawi_07
MONTHLY MATTERS
For many adolescent girls around the world the onset of their first period means the screeching halt of their education. The simple lack of access (financially and logistically) to sanitary towels means a miserable time at school – mocking is rife. They miss up to a week of school of month. Many end up simply dropping out completely. In addition they have to contend with a host of myths and misinformation about that time of the month…
These girls, in a small village near Blantyre in Malawi, are part of a pilot project where mothers in the community are trained to make reusable pads that will be supplied to the girls for free. The hope is that it will improve their school attendance and their confidence.
“I don’t feel happy about missing school,” says Esnart a shy, but defiant, 17 year old. But since 2015, two years after first getting her period, her flow has become extremely heavy – and she now misses up to 7 days of school a month. Punishment (which adds more days to that) includes mopping and sweeping. She explains that most of the teachers at her school are male, and don’t understand the situation. She is too embarrassed to explain. Being poorer than most – even the girls mock her.
Esnart, the last born in her family, is the only child still living at home. Her mother is a small-scale tomato farmer and the sale of her few tomatoes is what keeps them alive. Money for any kind of sanitary ware is out of the question…