563 Girls Reached in One Day with Menstrual Health Education!
On August 7th 2023, WAJAMAMA had an exciting opportunity to educate over 500 girls on menstrual health and hygiene in a single afternoon. In collaboration with the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation (ZMBF), chaired by the First Lady of Zanzibar, Her Excellency Mama Mariam H. Mwinyi, and the Ministry of Education, WAJAMAMA clinical workshop facilitators traveled to rural Kijini. While we were there, the team taught teenage girls from two local public schools about the menstrual cycle and holistic wellbeing. In a typical WAJAMAMA fashion, the sessions ended with purposeful play and physical fitness for the girls. In Zanzibar, girls are often on the sidelines while the boys participate in sports and fitness. As a part of our holistic model of practice, we always make sure to promote physical fitness among the girls that we serve. The day was ended by a powerful and inspirational speech by the First Lady of Zanzibar and guest of honour, Her Excellency Mama Mariam H. Mwinyi, who also distributed locally-made Tumaini menstrual kits to each one of the 563 girls at high-risk for being left behind due to period poverty.
To effectively educate so many teenage girls in one day, all hands were on deck at WAJAMAMA. Early in the morning, two buses full of staff members and boxes of pads set off from Stone Town, starting their long drive to the northern part of the island. The receptionist and operations manager stayed at the clinic, while all practitioners, fitness instructors, and project managers joined for this outreach.
After our group arrived, we met with the ZMBF staff and split up into different classrooms. Educating teenage girls on menstrual health is one of the main objectives of our reproductive health pillar. For this reason, WAJAMAMA has a two-hour interactive learning component on the menstrual cycle, holistic wellbeing; including nutrition, mental health, and the importance of making fitness and mindfulness a part of daily life.
The students in Kijini were between fourteen and nineteen-years-old, and many of them have started their periods already. Due to the lack of proper education and hygiene products, many refrain from attending school during their cycles; missing multiple days each month. Our efforts show that collaborations, such as with WAJAMAMA, the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation, and the Ministry of Education, can greatly reduce this issue in as little as a day.
Whilst the students started off shy during WAJAMAMA’s interactive learning component, our facilitators managed to foster a safe space for the groups, which allowed the students to come out of their shells. Because the facilitators broached the subject of women’s health confidently, an environment was created where periods became a matter of fact, rather than shameful. After discussing the menstrual health cycle, the facilitators demonstrated how to use the Tumaini kits. These kits, supplied by ZMBF, contain locally-made reusable pads and other supplies the girls might need during their period such as soaps and reusable pads storage bags.
The day wrapped up with a closing ceremony, featuring a speech by the First Lady and our very own Managing Director, Dr. Mwanakheir. A stage was set up in the middle of a courtyard, where participants and community members gathered to see the First Lady and celebrate a successful day. Since 2019, WAJAMAMA has established over 50 public, private, and NGO partnerships, and after our collaboration with the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation and the Ministry of Education, we are glad to add two more partnerships to that list. In its mission to improve the well-being of women in Zanzibar, WAJAMAMA is always open to work together, and looks forward to similarly fruitful partnerships in the future.
Written by Sophie Hudson, WAJAMAMA Communications Intern
Edited & published by Lily Suleiman, WAJAMAMA Development Intern