By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
Girl Child Network Sierra Leone has on the 24th of June 2022, at the Wellington Muslim Association School held fruitful workshop training for young girls, women, men and young boys on Menstrual Hygiene and raising awareness about the challenges, and stigmatization women and girls due to Menstruation and to highlight solutions that address these challenges.
The Program Manager Mabel Jalloh in an exclusive interview encouraged children especially Girls to be open minded and not be scared as she said lack of information about Menstruation leads to damaging misconceptions, discrimination and stigmatization.
This she noted can cause girls to miss out not only in school but also on normal childhood experiences and activities.
She continued that the training is a two-day event and that 36 schools will be trained both from Western Rural-Urban and Western Rural areas with a mix of both Primary, Junior and Secondary School children targeting adolescent girls, especially in Menstrual Hygiene training and the use of Menstrual products given to them.
She furthermore said the reason for the training is that adolescents due to the stigma of Menstruation which causes girls to drop out of school, and due to a lack of access to information in guiding these children and in using sanitary products she said Girls Child Network Sierra Leone and UNICEF being a partner to help retain re-enroll these school-going children and to educate them on Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene and in overcoming the stigmatization during this process.
She said the outcome of the 2days training is for girls to have access to information about their bodies on Menstrual Hygiene and be supplied with Menstrual products like reusable sanitary pads which she said they will use for two years and more, medicated soap, pants and face towel.
She said the training also includes young boys and men who are key allies in the training she said that girls complain that boys ridicule and stigmatize them during their Menstruation hence the importance of these boys to be inclusive in the training for proper education on the challenges women and girls go through and to be supportive towards them because Menstruation is a normal and healthy part of life.
Miss Mabel Jalloh in concluding her interview encouraged girls to not be scared because Menstruation is a normal and healthy way of life that every woman goes through.
She said they should not be ashamed of it but rather be comfortable and encourage parents to be open-minded to these children and educate them on Menstrual Hygiene and the use of sanitary products.
Miss Christiana Sam is a student of the Wellington Muslim Association School.
She explained about getting her first period and its experience on the 25th of December.
Miss Sam said she was out at Mamah beach when she went out for a swim and noticed blood on her pants and had to clean herself up with the help of her elder sister.
She said she was afraid and uncomfortable and felt pain but her sister was there with her to make her feel calm and comfortable.
She said over time she has felt ashamed of herself but with the help of her mom and elder sister`s education, she has accepted it and lived comfortably and ensured she maintains a healthy Menstrual Hygiene and educates other girls like herself to be bold, beautiful and hygienically conscious of their Menstruation.
One of the participants a teacher at the Rahim Islamic School Mrs Abibatu Kamara said she felt happy about the training as this she said will help Adolescent girls speak up on the challenges they face during their Menstruation and how to go about it.
She advised parents to be accommodating and open so that children can communicate with them about Menstruation and Menstrual Hygiene and teachers also play an important role and helping these children during this challenge.
Mr Vidal Sheriff from the Sierra Leone Islamic School said the training is a welcoming idea for them educating them on the challenges women and girls go through and their support or role as men in helping them rather than ridiculing or stigmatizing them as they go through difficulties during Menstruation.
He encouraged all men to be supportive and accommodating to these women and girls.
Different facilitators taught on different topics relating to Menstrual Hygiene and getting one’s first flow and the body changes that occur during Menstruation.
Girls Child Network Sierra Leone is a National Non-governmental Organization (NGO and CSO)member that seeks to promote the rights and holistic empowerment of the girl child in the home, and school as Community and build platforms to advance their rights and freedom so that they reach their full potential in society.
