Kayunga women embrace sanitary pads making to fight school dropouts
Girls learn how to make sanitary pads. Photo | Fred Muzaale
What you need to know:
- According to Ms Rebecca Nakiwanuka, the Precious Kids Foundation, programs director, a number of women have been trained in sanitary pads making for their daughters or own use.
In a bid to reduce the number of girls who drop out of school due to menstrual hygiene-related challenges, women in Kayunga District have embarked on making sanitary pads using locally available materials.
According to statics, at least five per cent of girls in Kayunga District don’t complete their education cycle due to menstrual hygiene-related challenges.
However, to ensure that girls don’t drop out or absentee themselves from school and complete their education successfully, a local NGO, Precious Kids Foundation, has trained women in making sanitary pads using locally available materials.
According to Ms Rebecca Nakiwanuka, the Precious Kids Foundation, programs director, a number of women have been trained in sanitary pads making for their daughters or own use.
“Besides using the sanitary pads they make, the women can also sell them and get some income,” Ms Nakiwanuka said.
She added that menstrual stigma was rampant, mostly in rural Universal Primary Education implementing schools as many girls come from poor families that can’t afford to buy for them sanitary pads.
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“The locally-made pads are made from cloth and polythene paper and are reusable. A pack of three can take the user for a full year,” Ms Nakiwanuka said.
The trained women received certificates and are required to train other women in their communities.
The move, according to Mr Dan Bubaale, the district senior education officer, would ensure that the girl-child and women have easy access to sanitary pads for their appropriate menstrual hygiene.
Mr Ramadhan Simali, the Kayunga district inspector of schools, however, said that although UPE grants have the component of the provision of sanitary pads and an extra dress for each school, head teachers don’t buy them.
“Poor menstrual hygiene is a big challenge in schools in the district due to the high poverty levels among many families in the area. We appreciate such interventions,” he said, noting that Covid-19 has exacerbated the situation as poverty levels have increased in many households.
